With her extraordinary talent and humanitarian work, Angelina Jolie, a well-known Hollywood icon, has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world. However, the life of the actress, who manages the chaos of six kids on a daily basis as a single mother, also has a gloomy and unsettling side to it. 

She also has to deal with her battle with Bell’s Palsy, a part of her life that is often overlooked. At first glance, this condition might seem harmless, but it is important to highlight the potentially fatal complications that could develop as she gets older.

In this regard, the Hollywood star admitted to Vanity Fair in 2017 that she had Bell’s palsy, a condition brought on by emotional exhaustion.

Angelina Jolie Discussed Her Issues With Bell’s Palsy

Angelina Jolie got candid about her battle with a scary medical condition in an interview with Vanity Fair that was published in 2017. The actress revealed that she was diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a brief facial paralysis caused by trauma or injury to the facial nerves. Her face drooped on one side as a result of the condition, as she claimed:

“Sometimes women in families put themselves last until it manifests itself in their own health.”

Jolie gave acupuncture credit for her complete recovery from the illness.

The Oscar-winning actress, who got legally divorced from her actor-husband, Brad Pitt, in 2019, expressed worry that she had neglected her own health while raising her six children. She claimed that lately, both her skin and her gray hair have become drier. She remarked:

“I can’t tell if it’s menopause or if it’s just been the year I’ve had.” 

She also found it absurd to think that she was still considered to be a s*x symbol. However, she added:

“I actually feel more of a woman because I feel like I’m being smart about my choices, and I’m putting my family first, and I’m in charge of my life and my health. I think that’s what makes a woman complete.”

Angelina Jolie Wrote An Op-Ed Addressing Domestic Violence Survivors’ Health 

Angelina Jolie has frequently spoken out against racial disparities in the provision of healthcare.

Earlier this year, the 48-year-old actress and activist wrote an opinion piece that was published in the 

American Journal of Nursing (via PEOPLE) and described how new technology made it possible to see bruising on people with darker skin tones.

The mother of six also provided a glimpse into her own experience and that of her family, claiming that she has witnessed her “children of color be misdiagnosed” as a result of their skin tone.

Near the end of her op-ed, Jolie revealed that her Ethiopian-born daughter (Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt), 18, had undergone a procedure where she was instructed to check for improper healing by looking for pink around her incision sites. The director of By the Sea wrote:

“I had a talk with my daughter, both of us knowing that we would have to look for signs of infection based on our own knowledge, not what the nurse had said, despite her undoubted good intentions.”

Jolie concluded the article by stating that even her family, who

“Has access to high-quality medical care,” but is still harmed by inequities in the healthcare system, such as the “prioritization of white skin in medicine”.

The actress, whose three children are biological and three adopted, concluded:

“From technology to improving diversity and representation in medical research and training, it is past time to embrace new solutions.”

On the work front, Angelina Jolie will next be seen in the upcoming biopic of Maria Callas, Maria, which will be helmed by Pablo Larran. The film reportedly takes place during the final few years that Callas spent in Paris in the 1970s.

The film also stars Valeria Golino, Haluk Bilginer, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino and Kodi Smit-McPhee.