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Angelina Jolie has spoken candidly about why she has chosen to publicly reveal her mastectomy scars more than a decade after undergoing preventive surgery, saying the decision is rooted in solidarity, honesty and shared strength among women.
In a new interview with TIME France, the Oscar-winning actress explained that showing the scars is not about shock or self-exposure, but about connection. "I share these scars with many women I love," Jolie said. "And I'm always moved when I see other women share theirs."
Jolie underwent a double mastectomy in 2013 after learning she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation, which placed her at high risk for breast cancer. Her decision came years after losing her mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, who died in 2007 following a long battle with the disease. Jolie later chose to have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed in 2015 as an additional preventive step.
The actress said she agreed to the photos and interview knowing TIME France would center the discussion on education and access to healthcare. For Jolie, visibility carries responsibility. She emphasized that women deserve the information needed to make personal, informed medical decisions without fear or stigma.
"When I shared my experience years ago, it was to encourage awareness, not to tell anyone what choice to make," she said. "Healthcare decisions must always remain personal, but access to screening and genetic testing should never depend on money or geography."
Jolie has long been outspoken about healthcare equity, and she reiterated her belief that BRCA screenings should be widely available, especially for women with family histories of cancer. She noted that early knowledge can offer options and peace of mind, rather than panic.
The interview coincides with Jolie's upcoming film Couture, directed by Alice Winocour, in which she plays an American filmmaker diagnosed with breast cancer. Jolie described the project as deeply personal, praising Winocour's refusal to frame illness solely through tragedy.
"Too often, stories about women and illness focus only on suffering," Jolie said. "This film is about life, how we continue, how we love, how we remain ourselves."
Reflecting on her mother's experience, Jolie shared that illness should never define a person's entire identity. By showing her scars now, she said, she hopes to normalize survival, vulnerability and strength, not as symbols of loss, but of life continuing forward.
