This archive report was first published on 23 August 2020.
Angelina Jolie, the star of Disney's The One and Only Ivan, has spoken about the importance of keeping promises and being true to oneself. In a recent interview, she revealed that only her children know the real her.
Angelina shares six kids with ex Brad Pitt, whom she would have celebrated her sixth wedding anniversary with in 2016 if they were still together. The couple met on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 2004, when Brad was still married to Jennifer Aniston.
Despite her high-profile status, Angelina says that only her children, Maddox, 19, Pax, 16, Zahara, 15, Shiloh, 14, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 12, truly know her. She produced the Disney+ movie The One and Only Ivan and voiced the character of Stella the Elephant.
Angelina's new film tells the story of a 400lb gorilla named Ivan and an ageing elephant named Stella, and how their lives change after the arrival of baby elephant Ruby. She spoke about the moral of the story, saying: "A lot of people can relate to the moral of the story, which is all about keeping promises."
Angelina also opened up about the pressures of being a public figure, saying: "I think a lot of people can also relate to that. Where there's expectations on them to be what people assume they are and they don't often have the friends or freedom to express who they really are... and be that person."
When asked if she had ever felt pressure to conform to others' expectations, Angelina replied: "I'm pretty much who I am because I don't know how to be anything else... but if you asked me, 'Do I think people really know me as who I really am?' I think only my children could explain who I am, really."
Angelina has been open about her efforts to protect her children, saying: "Like most parents, I focus on staying calm so my children don’t feel anxiety from me on top of all they are worrying about. I put all my energy into them."
