Angelina Jolie Recalls Feeling ‘Broken’ Amid Brad Pitt Custody Battle: ‘I Felt a Little Beaten Up’

Angelina Jolie is explaining why her new movie, Those Who Wish Me Dead, means so much to her. The 45-year-old actress recalled feeling “broken,” which allowed her to relate to her character in the film, Hannah Faber.

“I felt a little beaten up in my own life, as we all do at times, and I felt like I wasn’t holding myself together and I felt a little broken and the idea of just getting through the fire — just getting through the damn fire,” the Maleficent star told Access Hollywood in an interview shared on Tuesday, May 4. “Whatever it takes, with everything coming at you, get through it. So, when you feel that way as a person and you have the great opportunity to have a piece of art that you can manifest that experience and that growth through a character.”

In Those Who Wish Me Dead, which will be released and theaters and available to stream on HBO Max on May 14, Angelina plays a character who must protect a young boy that witnessed a murder all while dealing with her own struggles. During a separate conversation with Entertainment Tonight, the actress explained why she enjoyed portraying Hannah.

“She’s been very healing for me, because you just get so broken and then you stand back up,” Angelina said, as she continues to endure divorce drama and a custody battle with ex-husband Brad Pitt following their September 2016 split.

Because of the changes in her home life, Angelina said that she’s unable to continue directing movies. “I love directing, but I had a change in my family situation that’s not made it possible for me to direct for a few years,” she told ET in April. “I needed to just do shorter jobs and be home more, so I kind of went back to doing a few acting jobs. That’s really the truth of it.”

Together, the Salt actress and 57-year-old Academy Award winner share children Maddox, 19, Pax, 17, Zahara, 16, Shiloh, 14, and twins, Knox and Vivienne, 12. Although the former flames were declared legally single in April 2019, their divorce proceedings have yet to be finalized.

The couple’s eldest son “hates all the divorce and custody back and forth” going on between his parents, a source told In Touch in March after Us Weekly reported that the teen gave a testimony against his father in court.

The father and son have a tumultuous relationship following Brad and Angelina’s split. Despite their issues, the Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood actor “hasn’t given up hope” when it comes to reconciling with his kids, a separate source told In Touch in March.

“Brad thought there was some real healing and progress done with Maddox,” the insider said at the time. “Brad loves Maddox and will always be there for him and his siblings.”