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Angelina Jolie: "My scars are a choice I made" to stay healthy for her kids

Angelina Jolie has spoken about viewing the scars from her 2013 preventive double mastectomy not as flaws, but as symbols of a life-saving choice. She explained her decision was driven by a desire to be present for her children, having lost her own mother to cancer. Jolie carries the BRCA1 gene, which gave her an estimated 87% risk of developing breast cancer. She concludes that a life fully lived inevitably includes scars and challenges.

Key Points: Angelina Jolie on her mastectomy scars and health choice

  • Opened up about 2013 double mastectomy
  • Scars represent a proactive health choice
  • Motivated by her children's future
  • Lost her mother to cancer at a young age
  • Carries the high-risk BRCA1 gene
2 min read

"My scars are a choice I made": Angelina Jolie on her mastectomy journey

Angelina Jolie opens up about loving her mastectomy scars, calling them a proactive choice for her health and her children.

"I see my scars are a choice I made to do what I could do to stay here as long as I could with my children. - Angelina Jolie"

Los Angeles, February 11

Actor Angelina Jolie opened up about why she loves the "scars" on her body after her double mastectomy in 2013 and how those marks remind her of the choice she made to stay healthy for her children.

According to PEOPLE, in an interview with French radio channel French Inter, the 50-year-old actor spoke about how she feels about scars in general. The Maleficent actor said she has never chased a "perfect" idea of life. For her, scars are not something to hide.

"Well, I've always been someone more interested in the scars and the life that people carry," the actress began.

"I'm not drawn to some perfect idea of a life that has no scars. So no, I think, hey, you know, I see my scars are a choice I made to do what I could do to stay here as long as I could with my children," the Oscar winner added.

She also spoke about losing her mother at a young age and raising her kids without a grandmother, which made her health choices even more important.

"I love my scars because of that, you know, and I'm grateful that I had the opportunity to have the choice to do something proactive about my health. I lost my mom when I was young, and I'm raising my children without a grandmother."

"So for me, no, I think this is life. And if you get to the end of your life and you haven't made [a big, you know], you haven't made mistakes, you haven't made a mess, you don't have scars, you haven't lived a full enough life, I think," Jolie concluded.

Jolie's mother, actress Marcheline Bertrand, died in 2007 at the age of 56 after cancer. In a May 2013 New York Times op-ed titled "My Medical Choice," Jolie shared thay she carried the BRCA1 gene, which put her at very high risk of breast cancer. Doctors told her the risk was about 87 percent.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
It's a very personal and difficult decision. While I admire her courage, I also think we must remember that not every woman has access to such advanced genetic testing or preventive surgeries. The healthcare gap is real, even in India.
A
Ananya R
Her perspective on scars is beautiful. In our culture, we often see physical 'flaws' as something to be hidden. But life leaves marks, and they tell our story. She did it for her children—that's the ultimate motherly love. ❤️
D
David E
As someone who lost an aunt to breast cancer, this hits home. Awareness about genetic risks and proactive choices is so important. More Indian celebrities should speak up to reduce the stigma around cancer and surgeries.
S
Siddharth J
Respectfully, while her choice is personal, framing it as 'not living fully without scars' can be problematic. Many live full, beautiful lives without such traumatic medical interventions. The message should be about informed choice, not valorizing suffering.
K
Kavya N
Her mention of raising kids without a grandmother resonates deeply. In joint families, the grandmother's role is so central. Her decision was to break that cycle of loss for her own children. It's a heavy but powerful thought.

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