Angelina Jolie is done with the Los Angeles life, and honestly, it’s about time. If you’ve been following the breadcrumbs lately, you know the vibe has shifted. It’s not just about the movies anymore. As we hit the start of 2026, the woman who once defined the "Hollywood A-lister" label is basically dismantling her old life to build something that actually means something to her.
Angelina Jolie 2025: The Great Escape from Los Angeles
For years, Angelina was stuck. There’s no other way to put it. Because of the endless, grueling custody battle with Brad Pitt, she was legally tethered to Los Angeles so the kids could be near their father. But that chapter is closing. In late 2024, reports surfaced that a final agreement had finally—finally—been reached, eight long years after the initial split.
By December 2025, she put the historic Cecil B. DeMille estate on the market for a cool $25 million. She’s moving. Not just to a different neighborhood, but out of the "industry" orbit entirely. She’s been vocal about how she never really loved L.A. and how she craves privacy that the paparazzi-heavy streets of California just don’t offer. Her plan for 2026? Splitting her time between New York—where her fashion collective is based—and Europe, with frequent stays in Cambodia. It’s a total "start-fresh" move.
The kids are growing up, too. That's the big catalyst. The twins, Knox and Vivienne, are hitting that 18-year-old milestone in July 2026. Once they are legal adults, the residency restrictions vanish. You've probably seen the headlines about the kids dropping "Pitt" from their names—Zahara did it at Spelman, and Shiloh legally paid to have it removed. They are standing firmly with their mom, and this new nomadic lifestyle seems to be a family-wide decision.
Bringing the Drama Back to the Screen
Even though she’s leaving the Hollywood zip code, she’s not quitting the craft. 2025 was a massive year for her professionally, mostly because of Maria. Playing Maria Callas wasn’t just another role; it was a grueling, transformative experience that had her training in opera for months. People who saw it on Netflix or in theaters in early 2025 saw a version of Jolie we haven't seen in a decade—vulnerable, aging, and intensely raw.
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But if you think she's only doing heavy biopics now, you’re wrong. She’s actually heading back to her "Salt" and "Lara Croft" roots.
- Couture (2026): Directed by Alice Winocour, this one is set to drop in February. It’s a fashion drama filmed in Paris where she plays Maxine Walker, a filmmaker caught in the chaos of Fashion Week.
- Sunny: This is the one I’m personally excited about. It’s a gritty, mafia-style action flick where she plays a woman trying to protect her sons from a drug kingpin. Producers are already calling it a "tour de force."
- The Initiative: She’s reuniting with Doug Liman (the Mr. & Mrs. Smith director) for a spy thriller that starts filming early this year.
She’s being incredibly picky. She isn't just taking "movie star" roles to stay relevant; she’s picking projects that either let her stay in Europe or allow her to produce.
Atelier Jolie and the "Slow Fashion" Revolution
The most interesting thing about Angelina Jolie 2025 wasn't a movie at all—it was her boutique at 57 Great Jones Street in New York. The former Jean-Michel Basquiat studio is now the home of Atelier Jolie.
Honestly, it’s a weird business model for a celebrity, but in a good way. She isn't just slapping her name on a perfume. The brand is built on "deadstock" (leftover fabrics) and vintage materials. She’s hired refugees and underappreciated artisans to do the tailoring.
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I saw some of the pieces from the Chloé collaboration, and they are beautiful but incredibly understated. No big logos. Just high-quality silk and wool. She wants people to repair their clothes rather than throw them away. It’s a "quiet luxury" vibe that feels very authentic to where she is in her life right now. She’s often spotted there, working alongside the tailors, proving this isn't just a vanity project.
A New Chapter of Humanitarian Urgency
We can't talk about Angelina without the humanitarian side. After two decades with the UNHCR, she stepped down from her official role a couple of years ago to work more directly with local organizations.
In early 2026, she made headlines again for her work regarding the crisis in Gaza. She’s been pushing for the "Gaza Orphan Relief Village," a project designed to provide healthcare, education, and psychological support for children who lost their families in the conflict. She recently visited the Rafah border to inspect aid warehouses. While some critics say she’s getting too political, she’s clearly reached a point where she doesn't care about the backlash. She’s using her influence where she thinks it’s most urgent, regardless of the PR risk.
What This Means for Us
Angelina Jolie is effectively teaching a masterclass on how to "pivot" when you’re fifty. She’s not fighting to stay the "it girl." She’s leaning into being a mother, a business owner, and a serious artist.
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If you’re looking for a takeaway from the way she’s handling 2025 and 2026, here’s the deal:
- Prioritize Peace over Proximity: She lived in a city she hated for years for the sake of her kids. Now, she’s reclaiming her geography.
- Sustainability is a Lifestyle, not a Trend: Whether it's her clothes or her house, she’s moving toward things that last rather than things that "trend."
- Action matters more than Titles: Stepping down from the UN didn't stop her work; it just changed the way she does it.
The "Angelina Jolie" we knew in the 2000s—the tabloid fixture—is officially gone. In her place is a woman who seems much more comfortable in a tailoring studio in NoHo or on a film set in Paris than she ever was on a red carpet in Hollywood.
If you want to keep up with her new era, your best bet is to follow the updates from Atelier Jolie or keep an eye on the indie film circuit. The days of her doing massive superhero blockbusters might be behind us, but what’s coming next feels a lot more real.
The next step for anyone following her journey is to look into the artisans she’s highlighting through her brand. It's a great way to support ethical fashion while getting a glimpse into the world she’s actually passionate about these days.