Over the past few years, Angelina Jolie has been through a lot, as her divorce settlement with Brad Pitt continues, but she has had the support of her six kids, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne, and Knox.
© Monica SchipperAs she returned to the big screen for the first time in three in the role of Maria Callas, Angelina found it emotionally taxing in a different way, as she acted out major emotional scenes. But with her sons Maddox and Pax working on set, fortunately the 49-year-old felt supported throughout the process.
"My boys were there, so I was very lucky that sometimes when I'd have my big emotional scenes, they'd come and bring me a tea and give me a hug," she told Extra, in reference to the particularly dark scenes she acted in.
© Getty ImagesShe added that she felt lucky to be "supported to let it all out and have a safe place to do so" in acting, as she explained: "I wish that for everybody — that they can be supported and surrounded by people. They can just scream and cry it out and feel all that they feel."
Maddox and Pax took on behind-the-scenes roles on Maria, doing Assistant Directing work, which their mom said they had done "quite a few times."
© STEFANI REYNOLDSHaving them onset to support her through the more intense scenes meant that Angelina "usually went home feeling pretty light," before returning the next day for more gruellingly emotional scenes.
© Robin MarchantThis isn't the first time the actress has opened up about what it was like having to tap into a darker place in front of her children while acting.
She told The Hollywood Reporter: "That was probably one of the more intense things was that —usually when I'm expressing that much pain, it's not in front of my children.
© Getty Images"You really try to hide from your children how much pain and sadness you carry. And so for them to be with you when you're expressing it at such a level, I think it was the first time they ever heard me cry like that. That’s usually for the shower," she explained.
This wasn't the first time that the Oscar winner has worked with her children, however, as she notably worked with her daughter Vivienne on The Outsiders Broadway production earlier this year. Angelina was credited as a producer, while her daughter was a producer assistant.
© Getty ImagesWhile working on Maleficent, her daughter Shiloh filled the role of a young Aurora.
