Angelina Jolie, 44, opened up about her emotional reaction to the problems of the world when she sat down to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and how it could put children in danger with California’s surgeon-general Dr. Nadine Burke Harris for a video she wrote for TIME magazine that was published.
In the interview, the actress revealed that she had cried more than once in the past as she read of suffering all over the world, but she soon realized that she had to take action rather than only showing empathy to make a real difference and support those she could help.
“There was a time in my life when I became more aware of what was happening around the world and what happens in our own country and what happens in people’s lives,” she began explaining to Dr. Harris in the video.
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She continued “And I opened up and I hoped that I could be useful and I really can’t think what else life is about other than somehow finding a way of being useful but in the beginning I wrote a journal and I wrote just because I would cry all the time so if I was writing people wouldn’t see that I was crying and then there was this wonderful grandmother who was taking care of all these kids and she lost all her siblings and she saw me crying. I thought I was being very emotional and very connected and she just said, I don’t need you to cry, I need you to help me.”
Angelina, who is a mother-of-six who has co-parents with ex-husband Brad Pitt, 56, went on to say that the experience with the woman helped her to realize that while she had some empathetic feelings, she had to put them into action and she feels very lucky that she has the opportunities to do just that.
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In addition to explaining what she learned in her experience, she addressed how trauma and stress can make children more vulnerable to disease, and how it is necessary to maintain relationships with people in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic despite having to remain in quarantine.
“I think it is so important that people hear that,” she said when Dr. Harris mentioned the need for people to stay close. “To love each other, check in with each other. Be there, be a support group, keep your eyes open whether you are a teacher or a friend.”