Angelina Jolie stepped boldly into the political arena on Sunday at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain. Prior to the premiere of "Couture," in which Jolie plays Maxine, an American filmmaker who discovers she has cancer, she was questioned during a press conference about her greatest fears as both an artist and an American, as reported by Variety.
The 50-year-old actress reportedly let out a deep sigh, paused thoughtfully, and acknowledged that it was "a very difficult question." "I love my country, but at this moment, I don’t recognize it," Jolie remarked during the panel discussion. "I’ve always lived internationally—my family is international, my friends, my life… My worldview is one of equality, unity, and internationalism. Anything, anywhere, that divides or restricts personal expression and freedoms for anyone is, in my opinion, very dangerous."
She continued, "These are such serious times that we must be cautious not to speak flippantly. We are living through incredibly heavy times together."
The Academy Award-winning actress has previously expressed her desire to leave the United States and settle abroad. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last year, Jolie explained that although she "grew up" in Los Angeles, the sole reason she remains in the city is "because I have to be here due to my divorce." "But as soon as they’re 18, I’ll be able to leave," she said, referring to her youngest children, twins Vivienne and Knox, 17, whom she shares with ex-husband Brad Pitt.
The "Maleficent" star admitted she was seeking "privacy" for her "large family," which also includes Maddox, 24; Pax, 21; Zahara, 20; and Shiloh, 19. "When you have a big family, you want them to have privacy, peace, and safety," Jolie told the outlet. "I have a home now to raise my children, but sometimes this place can feel... that humanity I’ve found across the world is not what I experienced growing up here."
She added, "I’ll spend a lot of time in Cambodia. I’ll travel to visit my family members wherever they may be in the world."
A source recently told People magazine that Jolie’s move may come sooner than anticipated, as she is preparing to "put the house up for sale." "[Jolie] never wanted to live in L.A. full-time. She didn’t have a choice because of the custody arrangement with [ex-husband] Brad [Pitt]," the insider claimed.
According to the source who spoke with People, Jolie "plans to relocate as soon as Knox and Vivienne turn 18 next year. She’s considering several locations abroad. She’ll be very happy when she’s able to leave Los Angeles."
In September 2016, Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt after two years of marriage. They reached a settlement last December following an acrimonious and highly publicized eight-year legal battle. "More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt," Jolie’s lawyer, James Simon, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."
A source close to the matter told Fox News Digital, "She doesn’t speak ill of him publicly or privately. She’s been trying hard to be light after a dark time." "The kids have grown up seeing that some people have so much power and privilege that their voices don’t matter," the insider added. "Their pain doesn’t count. They have wanted her to speak up for herself, to defend herself over these years, but she reminds them to focus on changing laws over telling public stories."
