Jolie is now watching her six children become adults. Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox and Vivienne have grown up largely away from the spotlight compared with their famous parents.
And Jolie has said that her children now encourage her to live more freely too.
“They want me to get out and do things,” she said, adding that they know her better than almost anyone and still like her – which, as she put it, “says a lot.”
There’s something quite human about that shift.
For years, Jolie was focused on raising her children and protecting them. Now, as they grow older, she’s also allowing herself to think about what comes next for her.
Her approach to motherhood may not be one everyone agrees with. But behind it is a fear many parents understand: wanting your children to be okay, even in a future you won’t be there to see.