Angelina Jolie Says She Never Expected To Be Well-Liked

Angelina Jolie has had a bumpy year, but one filled with just as many ups as downs. In September 2016, she filed for divorce from her husband of two years, Brad Pitt, and retained custody of their 6 children. Overnight, Jolie became a single mom, so she purchased a new home for her family in Loz Feliz after renting for nine months. And while she's keenly aware of the public desire for details into her life, she's kept a low profile since the divorce, only re-emerging to discuss her new directorial effort, First They Killed My Father in a wide-ranging interview with the New York Times.

Jolie definitely knows that she's viewed as icy or inscrutable. "I never expect to be the one that everybody understands or likes. And that’s O.K., because I know who I am, and the kids know who I am," she tells the Times, of her public persona, versus the more "relatable" Brad Pitt. Her children help keep her grounded, and she also views them as her equals. "They really help me so much. We’re really such a unit. They’re the best friends I’ve ever had. Nobody in my life has ever stood by me more." Her kids even helped decorate their new Los Feliz home, and she explained that they have an agreement: "not everyone can agree on everything, but you have to try to like it if you don’t hate it. If you do hate it, you can overrule."

When asked how everyone is doing, she tells the Times, "None of it’s easy. It’s very, very difficult, a very painful situation, and I just want my family healthy."

After taking a year off to care for her family, Angelia Jolie is ready to return to acting. "I will get funny at some point," mentioning her upcoming role as the evil queen Maleficient in Maleficient 2. In the meanwhile, First They Killed My Father will stream on Netflix, beginning September 15.