Angelina Jolie hints how divorce from Brad Pitt made her return to acting, talks about 'change in family situation'

Angelina Jolie revealed the reasons behind her sudden return to acting after sticking on to direction job for long. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, while the Oscar-winning actor was promoting her upcoming thriller drama release Those Who Wish Me Dead, she touched down on why she has not directed any new project since 2017's First They Killed My Father.

"I love directing, but I had a change in my family situation that's not made it possible for me to direct for a few years," said Jolie. The 45-year-old star who had parted her ways with ex Brad Pitt added, "I needed to just do shorter jobs and be home more, so I kind of went back to doing a few acting jobs. That's really the truth of it."

Jolie who shares six children with Pitt also explained why she has had to suppress her own instincts to fit the "not maternal by nature" personality of her character, Hannah, in the upcoming film. "Sometimes the director would correct me because my behaviour towards a child was different from Hannah's behaviour towards a child," she told Entertainment Weekly.

She and Pitt who had split in 2016, share custody of five of their six children, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh and twins Vivienne and Knox, while their eldest son, Maddox, is now 18.

A source previously told E! News that the exes prioritized their kids' health and happiness, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, revealing, "All the kids are home with Jolie but they have continued seeing Pitt and go over for their regular visits."

The Maleficent actor also admitted how unconventional her family life is on British Vogue, saying that "I feel like I'm lacking in all the skills to be a traditional stay-at-home mom."

Jolie further added that she is never felt better. As she put it, "I feel that I'm gonna hit my stride in my 50s."

Meanwhile, on the work front, her upcoming film Those Who Wish Me Dead is set to premiere in theatres and on HBO Max on May 14. The movie is directed by Oscar Nominee Taylor Sheridan from a screenplay by Michael Koryta and Charles Leavitt and Sheridan, based on the eponymous book by Koryta.

Steven Zaillian, Garrett Basch, Aaron L. Gilbert, Kevin Turen and Sheridan produced, with Steven Thibault, Ashley Levinson, Andria Spring, Jason Cloth, Richard McConnell, Kathryn Dean, Michael Friedman, Daria Cercek and Celia Khong are executive producers.