Angelina Jolie recently did a Vanity Fair cover and she broke the silence on many things. Besides addressing her divorce with Bradd Pitt, the actress also revealed her Bell’s Palsy diagnosis last year.
Bell’s Palsy
In the cover story, she revealed that in addition to high blood pressure, she developed Bell’s Palsy, a condition resulting from damage to facial nerves. She said it caused one side of her face to droop.
Bell’s Palsy is a rare and often mysterious condition that affects only about 40,000 Americans a year. It leads to paralysis of the nerves responsible for facial movement.
The actress, 42 underwent acupuncture therapy and credited that for her full recovery. She didn’t, however, elaborate on the cause of the nerve trauma.
Put Health First
“Sometimes women in families put themselves last,” Jolie told the magazine. “Until it manifests itself in their own health.” She also spoke about the struggle to care for six children after her divorce with Brad Pitt.
Angelina Jolie opens up about putting her family first, life after Brad, health issues & her most personal film yet https://t.co/nKyf4dO8ls pic.twitter.com/WkXCgWR1PV
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) July 26, 2017
The actress has previously undergone a hysterectomy in 2015 and a double mastectomy in 2013 after learning she carries a gene mutation that put her at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer.
She also opened up about dealing with more grey hair and drier skin, saying, “I can’t tell if it’s menopause or if it’s just been the year I’ve had.” She said that this year when things got “difficult” started during her upcoming film’s (First They Killed My Father) postproduction.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s Divorce
It’s safe to assume that her tough divorce filing was a huge part of her difficult year. She raised her children for the way they handled it but also mentioned that they are still recovering. “We’re all just healing from the events that led to the filing,” she said.

Image credits: PEOPLE.com
Despite everything, after making a full recovery, the actress intends to stay strong.