“Hollywood’s Not Healthy” – Angelina Jolie Opens Up About Walking Away from Acting

Angelina Jolie, one of Hollywood’s most celebrated and enigmatic figures, has revealed a striking shift in how she views her profession. In a candid December 2023 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Jolie admitted that if she had to start over, she wouldn’t choose to become an actress today — a powerful statement reflecting both the personal and cultural forces that have reshaped her life over the past decade.

“I wouldn’t be an actress today,” Jolie said, citing the increasing expectation for public figures to live transparently and share intimate details of their lives, a level of exposure that was not as intense when she first entered the industry. This change, she implied, has made the acting profession feel less authentic and more invasive, especially as Hollywood’s culture of constant scrutiny has intensified.

Jolie’s skepticism toward the entertainment industry isn’t new. Growing up in the shadow of Hollywood royalty — the daughter of Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand — she confessed that she was “never very impressed with it,” describing the business as neither “significant nor important.” That early disenchantment paved the way for her broader life mission: seeking authenticity and meaning beyond the red carpet.

Over the years, Jolie has found that meaning in her humanitarian work, particularly with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), a role she took on after filming Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in Cambodia in 2001. Her friendships — many with women who are refugees from war zones — reflect a life more deeply connected to global struggles than Hollywood premieres.

However, the most turbulent period of Jolie’s personal life came after her high-profile 2016 divorce from Brad Pitt, an event that unleashed a relentless wave of public and legal battles. From allegations surrounding an incident aboard a private plane to lengthy custody disputes and lawsuits over their shared French winery, Jolie found her life increasingly consumed by public scrutiny and private pain.

The toll was not just emotional but physical. Jolie disclosed that six months before the divorce, she developed Bell’s palsy, a condition causing temporary facial paralysis, and experienced wild blood sugar fluctuations — a direct result, she believes, of extreme stress. Fans also noticed a change in her voice between Maleficent (2014) and its sequel Mistress of Evil (2018), subtle but indicative of the pressure she endured.

Reflecting on the past several years, Jolie revealed a profound sense of loss — particularly the freedom she once had to live and travel spontaneously. “I lost the ability to live and travel as freely,” she said, a feeling that has left her yearning for a quieter, more private life.

Part of that new chapter involves leaving Los Angeles, a city she now views as “not a healthy place.” Jolie plans to relocate permanently to her home in Cambodia, where she has built strong roots and feels a deeper connection to a simpler, more authentic existence.

Through it all, her greatest source of stability remains her six children — Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne — whom she credits with helping her heal. Since her divorce, Jolie has chosen film projects sparingly, prioritizing roles that allow her to stay close to her family.

Angelina Jolie’s reflections offer a rare, unguarded glimpse into a woman who once dominated Hollywood but now seeks something richer, quieter, and more meaningful. In stepping back from the industry that made her a global icon, she is forging a path defined not by fame, but by resilience, authenticity, and a deep commitment to personal healing.

Would you also like me to suggest a sidebar like “Timeline: Angelina Jolie’s Journey From Hollywood to Humanitarian” to accompany this article? It could give readers even deeper context!