Angelina Jolie Surprises With New Movie Roles, Calls Self ‘Family Breadwinner’: Did She Shade Brad Pitt?

Almost exactly one year after Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt, rumors continue to circulate about the nature of their relationship. Angelina recently was seen at the Telluride Film Festival with all six of the children that she and Brad share. And as Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Vivienne, Knox, and Shiloh Jolie-Pitt charmed observers, Jolie talked about her future in film and offered a clue about Pitt’s role in the family.

Leading Lady Roles

Angelina earned impressive praise from critics at her first Telluride Film Festival for the debut First They Killed My Father. Although Jolie got kudos for what marks her fourth directorial effort, she told Deadline that she is now ready for leading lady film roles once more.

Rather than line up another role as a director, Angelina surprised everyone by revealing plans for movie roles. One film particularly will delight Disney fans, and that’s a reprise of Jolie’s role as the villain in Maleficent 2. The actress offered a hint of her excitement about returning to Disney for the role.

“We have been working on the script [for Maleficent 2] and this is going to be a really strong sequel.”

As for the timeline for Angelina’s return to performing in front of the cameras, she told the Hollywood Reporter that she will return to work following “over a year off” to cope with a family “situation,” which the publication interpreted as a reference to her split from Brad Pitt.

Did Angelina Jolie Just Shade Brad Pitt?

In addition to hinting that the split from Pitt was so complicated that it required her to take more than a year off from work, Jolie also indicated that she’s making her career choice right now based on income rather than preferences. She revealed that one day, she would like to stop acting and focus on directing.

For now, however, it’s anticipated that the much-anticipated Maleficent sequel will be made starting in 2017. Jolie also noted that her time off has been focused on her children because of the “situation,” interpreted as referring to her breakup with Brad.

“I’ve taken over a year off now, because of my family situation, to take care of my kids.”

In response to a question about whether the “situation” was resolved, Jolie emphasized that her presence has been required at home. However, she hopes to return to work soon.

“When they can have — when I feel it’s time for me to go back to work, I’ll be able to go back to work,” said Angelina. “I’ve been needed at home. I hope [to work again] in the months to come.”

Angelina Jolie As Cleopatra?

In addition to looking forward to playing her role in the Disney film, Jolie surprised with a hint about another possible movie role. She shared that there is a script for Cleopatra in addition to a variety of opportunities “floating around.” However, Angelina also revealed that she has not yet “committed” to the role in Cleopatra.

Jolie also expressed hesitation as to whether she will ever succeed in a career solely as a director. Although she admitted that she would “love to” direct, she said that her future depends on her acceptance in that capacity.

“At some point, I’ll probably just direct. If I’m allowed to,” she added.

“But you just don’t know if you can have a career as a director. You don’t know how things are going to be received.”

While Angelina expressed hesitation about whether she can have a career consisting only of directing opportunities, she also was candid about taking on new acting roles for the extra income.

Who’s The Family Breadwinner, Angelina Jolie or Brad Pitt?

In addition to talking about her new film roles, Jolie made a surprise comment about her reason for deciding to go back to her acting career at this point, noted BBC News.

“I am now the breadwinner for the family, so it’s time.”

BBC News interpreted Angelina’s comment about her role as the “breadwinner” as “clearly referring to her public divorce from fellow actor Brad Pitt.” Was Jolie joking or serious in her self-description?

Angelina has consistently brought income to the family. In 2013, she was at the top of Forbes’ highest-paid actresses list. The original Maleficent, in which Jolie starred, raked in more than $700 million dollars worldwide.

Where’s Brad Pitt?

Amid the excitement over Angelina’s surprising news about her return to acting in front of the cameras rather than directing, Brad Pitt remains more in the shadows rather than the spotlight. However, E! News noted that in the wake of going from one-half of Brangelina back to Brad, Pitt has had some challenges of his own.

As a result of his previous film commitments, Brad had to pose on the red carpet and become visible sooner than he may have desired. He promoted Allied, which debuted in November, and War Machine, which premiered on Netflix in May. Pitt also had to deal with the publicity generated by his own Plan B Entertainment productions, which triumphed with Moonlight, the 2017 Best Picture Oscar winner.

Brad also has been surprisingly candid about feeling downcast as a newly single man, pointed out Page Six. With his home feeling empty without Jolie and their six kids, Pitt shared in an interview that he lights a fire every morning and evening to try to lighten up the loneliness.

“I get up every morning and I make a fire,” said Brad. “When I go to bed, I make a fire, just because — it makes me feel life.”

[Featured Image by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images]