Angelina Jolie, a great Hollywood icon, has voiced deep concern about the state of free expression in the United States, saying she no longer recognizes her country.
Speaking at a press conference during the San Sebastián Film Festival in Spain, Jolie said the growing polarization and threats to personal freedom in the US are troubling. Her remarks come amid a series of controversies over speech and media freedom, including the suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel following comments he made about the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
“I love my country, but I don’t at this time recognize my country,” Jolie told reporters when asked whether she feared for freedom of speech. “Anything, anywhere, that divides or limits personal expression and freedoms is very dangerous,” she added.
The Academy Award-winning actress described the present moment as one of unprecedented strain. “These are very, very heavy times we’re all living in together,” she said, reflecting on the social and political atmosphere in the US.
Jolie, 50, was in San Sebastián to promote Couture, a new film directed by French filmmaker Alice Winocour. The drama, competing for the festival’s top prize, follows Maxine Walker, an American director grappling with divorce, a life-threatening illness, and the pressures of Paris Fashion Week. Jolie stars opposite French actor Louis Garrel, who plays her character’s romantic interest.
Read Also: Hollywood Prepares To Toast Winners At Golden Globes
In an emotional moment, Jolie said she personally connected with Maxine’s struggles. The actress has been open about her own health battles, including a preventive double mastectomy in 2013 and later the removal of her ovaries and fallopian tubes due to a high genetic risk of cancer. Her mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, died of ovarian cancer in 2007.
“I wish my mother had been able to speak as openly as I have and not feel as alone,” Jolie said, appearing visibly moved. “There’s something very particular to women’s cancers because it affects how we feel as women.”
Her comments resonated with the audience, drawing attention not only to her film but also to her broader advocacy for women’s health and human rights. Jolie has long been a prominent humanitarian, serving as a former UNHCR Special Envoy and campaigning on issues from refugee rights to sexual violence in conflict zones.