The Unexpected Marvel Role That Helped Angelina Jolie Process Her Trauma

Angelina Jolie has never shied away from speaking about the darker chapters of her life. From a turbulent relationship with her father, Jon Voight, to self-harm and drug use in her teenage years, the Oscar-winning actor has been candid about her struggles with mental health. She has even shared that, at one point, she hired a hitman to end her life in a way that would spare her family the guilt of her suicide.

That honesty has fueled not only her acting career but also her work as a globally recognized humanitarian. Her advocacy for refugees and victims of conflict began two decades ago, sparked during filming of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in Cambodia — a project that also led to her adopting her first child, Maddox, from the country.

But Jolie hasn’t simply locked away her trauma. She’s found ways to channel it — and, in one of the most unexpected turns, a Marvel blockbuster became a vehicle for her healing.

Finding Strength in Eternals

In Chloé Zhao’s 2021 Marvel Cinematic Universe entry Eternals, Jolie played Thena, a warrior-like immortal sent to guide human civilization. Thena’s near-invincible power is counterbalanced by a debilitating mental fracture: she’s haunted by centuries of memories and disillusioned by humanity’s darkest moments.

Speaking to CinemaBlend, Jolie revealed how personally the role resonated with her.

“Well, you know, like many people, I have my own struggles with different traumas or things that have happened, and so many of us become overwhelmed by the weight of our lives or our memories,” she said. “And in some way, it was therapeutic to let it come through. And what I liked about her is that she is both; she’s also very strong.”

Thena’s self-imposed exile in the film — her retreat from the world to preserve her own sanity — mirrored aspects of Jolie’s own history. The character’s simultaneous fragility and resilience offered a space for the actor to explore her own balance between vulnerability and strength.

A Pattern in Her Work

Jolie’s connection to Thena fits into a broader pattern in her career: choosing roles that embody complex intersections of trauma, moral conviction, and personal power. Whether in intimate dramas like Girl, Interrupted or large-scale adventures like Maleficent, she has infused her performances with empathy and humanity — qualities rooted as much in her personal history as in her artistry.

For Jolie, even a superhero role can be a means of self-exploration. Playing Thena allowed her to turn the weight of her lived experiences into a performance that was both fierce and deeply human — proving that processing trauma can happen in unexpected places, even amid cosmic battles and CGI creatures.

In the end, Eternals wasn’t just another blockbuster credit for Jolie. It was, in her words, “therapeutic” — a reminder that strength can grow from pain, and that sometimes, even the most otherworldly characters can hold a mirror to the deepest parts of ourselves.