Angelina Jolie Admits Her Biggest Regret—and the Advice She Wishes She’d Known as a Young Woman

Angelina Jolie, the Academy Award-winning actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian, has spent decades captivating audiences with her artistry and using her platform to fight for human rights. Yet behind the acclaim, Jolie has wrestled with regrets—moments of reflection that reveal not weakness, but wisdom. In revisiting her past, she has offered candid advice to her younger self, advice that resonates with anyone who has struggled, faltered, and grown stronger because of it.

“Hang On”: Advice From a Hard-Won Journey

In a 2019 interview with Extra while promoting Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Jolie said the words she would have wanted her younger self to hear: “Hang on.” It was simple, but powerful—an acknowledgment that her early years were turbulent, marked by pain and searching.

“You have to go through everything — everything leads to something else, and it’s you,” she explained, reflecting on the winding path that took her from Hollywood’s misunderstood rebel to one of its most respected figures.

Her candor has struck a chord with fans. Posts on X (formerly Twitter) describe being moved to tears, one writing: “Angelina’s been through hell and still shines. Her advice to ‘hang on’ is so raw.”

Resilience Through Trials and Transformation

Jolie’s resilience has defined her life. Born into Hollywood privilege yet dismissed early on as “too dark” or unconventional, she battled rejection until breaking through with her Oscar-winning role in Girl, Interrupted at just 24. Her journey wasn’t without shadows. In a 2023 Vogue interview, she admitted, “I was quite dark when I was young… I went through heavy times and I survived them.”

That survival included public heartbreaks—a high-profile split with Brad Pitt in 2016—serious health battles, including a preventative double mastectomy in 2013 after learning she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation, and the challenges of raising six children while maintaining a career that has grossed more than $2 billion worldwide.

In a 2014 interview with RTÉ, she revealed a regret she still carries: not savoring her freedom before fame. “Enjoy the walks in the park and the backpacking and travelling… before it became a little less easy to do so,” she reflected, wishing she had lingered in life’s simple joys before the world watched her every move.

Authenticity in Owning Her Complexities

What has set Jolie apart is her authenticity. She has never hidden the contradictions within her story—the “bad girl” who once wore a vial of blood around her neck, the humanitarian tirelessly advocating for refugees, the mother urging her daughters to wield their intelligence as a weapon.

In Vogue, she acknowledged her younger, “darker” self may always linger. “I didn’t die young… Maybe that part of me wants to push back,” she said, embracing her past rather than erasing it. In a 2019 Extra interview, she admitted her regrets, but insisted they were necessary: “My mistakes shaped me.”

That openness fuels her humanitarianism, from her work with the UNHCR as a Goodwill Ambassador since 2001 to co-founding the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. Fans admire her candor, with one X user posting: “Angelina’s not afraid to admit her regrets. That’s why she’s a queen.”

Wisdom That Transcends Regret

For Jolie, regret is not a burden but a lesson. In a 2014 People interview, she advised her younger self: “Not to change a thing… You have to let your younger self be scared of things and attack things head-on. Make bold choices and make mistakes.”

This wisdom has extended to her role as a mother. Writing in a 2019 Hola essay to her daughters Zahara, Shiloh, and Vivienne, she urged them: “Your intelligence is everything. Be wicked in standing up for yourselves.”

Her reflections are often tinged with emotion—especially when she recalls her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who died in 2007. In a 2025 INTHEFAME profile, Jolie broke down, admitting regret at not spending more time with her before her passing. That grief, she says, continues to guide her choices as a mother and advocate.

Even today, Jolie leads by example. Her 2025 support for Los Angeles fire relief efforts alongside stars like Beyoncé underscored her commitment to using her influence for collective good.

A Legacy of Strength in Vulnerability

Angelina Jolie’s regrets are not confessions of weakness, but testaments to resilience, authenticity, and growth. She has lived boldly, stumbled openly, and chosen to share her lessons so others might feel less alone in their struggles.

Her advice to her younger self—to “hang on,” to embrace the mistakes, to savor freedom—resonates because it is universal. Jolie’s story reminds us that regret is not an ending, but a compass, guiding us toward wisdom, compassion, and strength.

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