Angelina Jolie Shares Her Thoughts on Scars and Life
Angelina Jolie, the Oscar-winning actress, has opened up about her double mastectomy scars. She shared that she doesn’t mind having extra scars on her body because they serve as a reminder of the choices she made to have more time with her children.
Jolie, who is 50 years old, underwent a double mastectomy in 2013 after doctors discovered a gene that increased her risk of breast cancer. In an interview with French radio station France Inter, she spoke about how she values the scars and the life experiences that come with them.
“I’ve always been someone more interested in the scars and the life that people carry,” she said. “I’m not drawn to some perfect idea of a life that has no scars.”
The actress has six children with her ex-husband Brad Pitt: Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. She described the scars as a reminder of the choice she made to stay with her children for as long as possible.
“I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to have the choice to do something proactive about my health,” she said. “I lost my mom very young. I’m raising my children without a grandmother.”
Jolie’s mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, died at the age of 56 in 2007 after an almost 10-year battle with cancer. She added that if you get to the end of your life and haven’t made mistakes or had scars, you haven’t lived a full enough life.
In December, Jolie bravely displayed her scars for the first time while covering TIME France. She shared that she feels connected to many women who have similar experiences.
“I share these scars with many women I love. And I’m always moved when I see other women share theirs,” she told the publication. “When I shared my experience in 2013, it was to encourage informed choices.”
In the powerful cover photo, the Maria star is wearing a low-cut black top as she stares pensively at the camera, placing her hand over her bare chest.
