Angelina Jolie’s done a number of things many would consider scary – starring in action films, getting tattoos, marrying Billy Bob Thornton – but she told USA Today that parenthood may be the scariest of them all.
“I think to be a parent is one of the scariest, boldest things to do, as opposed to, um, getting a tattoo,” she told the paper. “Much more than jumping into a pool when you’re 20.”
The actress did just that after winning a Golden Globe for 1998’s “Gia,” but these days, she’s known less for her wild antics than as a U.N. ambassador, a mom to six and a partner to Brad Pitt.
“I grew up in front of everybody, really,” Angelina told the paper. “The big years of exploration… I got married a few times before I actually got married.”
The actress, who stars as the mysterious Evelyn Salt in this weekend’s “Salt,” added that she’s braver now than ever.
“I see it almost as the flip side,” she said. “I think I’m finally living completely free and brave. I’m bolder now. I was a lot less when I was younger.”
Angelina is the rare female star who can command an action audience, making “Salt” – which features her in a realistic suspense role, rather than the video game fantasy of “Tomb Raider” – a bit of a first.
“I grew up with all the guy movies,” she said. “But I didn’t have the reference of a woman. Now I have daughters, and a part of me wants them to have that when they grow up… I was surprised a studio was ready to put that big summer movie money into something that had never worked before — a woman in an action movie that isn’t fantasy.”
“Salt” is in theaters now.
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