The year the world finally forgave Angelina Jolie.

I used to think Angelina Jolie was evil.

Granted, I was just a tween at the time, with a spongy little brain that soaked up other people's ideas as my own. But, I remember when reports first hit that Angelina had 'stolen' poor, unassuming Brad Pitt away from his even poorer, gentle wife Jennifer Aniston. Angelina was mysterious, she was sexy, and she stole the man belonging to America's sweetheart. 

I was fascinated by Hollywood, a big fan of Friends, and had become increasingly obsessed with pop culture — and the news cycle was dominated by this one story: Angelina Jolie was a villain. And if People Magazine and New Idea claimed it, I had no choice but to believe it. I was easily roped into the narrative, caring far too much about the ins and outs of celebrity relationships at the peak of tabloid drama. Again, I was a kid. Though the same can't be said for the grown women who gleefully hated the actress and partook in the attempts to bring her down.

As Ange and Brad's relationship blossomed into one that reflected a wholesome family filled with children and joy, the drama took a backseat for a few years as magazines profiled the happily married couple and their brood of beautiful kids.

But in 2016, Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt. We were back on.

The Angelina-hating crew had been waiting in the wings, and flew out in support of their very handsome favourite actor who could not possibly have done anything wrong. He was an angel! Even when he was on the cover of GQ detailing his issues with drugs, alcohol, and said — in his own words — he "hadn't been a great father".

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's romance dominated headlines for more than a decade. Image: Getty.

At the time of their divorce filing, Angelina accused Brad of domestic abuse. The world accused her of being a bitch.

In the years since their whirlwind romance had begun, I'd grown into an adult — an entertainment journalist, to boot — and my own worldview had vastly shifted by the time the couple filed for divorce. I loved Angelina's films, I thought she was stylish, I was highly impressed by her humanitarian work with the United Nations, and I won't lie to you, I just really liked her in Maleficent.

As if somehow her decision to play the evil villain in a Disney film had washed her 'sins' away. Was it a self-referential joke? Was she leaning into the narrative? And did any of this acquit her of the alleged crime of infidelity? I can't answer that. But I had learned life wasn't black and white. I'd also gained a few years, and realised a woman in her 20s isn't always going to make the 'right' choice.

We're talking about a woman whose famous family saw her enter the industry at 16. She would not be the first teen star to rebel in their 20s. She dyed her hair jet-black, got tattoos, and dated controversial men — was it the worst crime she could commit? 

Yes.

Angelina was 25 when she eloped with Billy Bob Thornton, who left his fiancée Laura Dern to be with his Pushing Tin co-star. She was 28 when she met Pitt on the set of Mr & Mrs Smith. She was young, and hot, and stealing husbands. And so her controversial romances made her the ultimate enemy of women. She was decidedly not a girl's girl. There was a level of vitriol reserved for Angelina herself, not the men who left their former partners behind. And I'm not here to suggest that 'the other woman' bears no responsibility for the heartbreak of a man's wife or girlfriend, but at what point would she have paid the price? At what point would she be set 'free' from the rage?

Jennifer Aniston has said she 'chooses' to believe her marriage did not end because of Angelina Jolie. That it was over before Brad moved on. That's not to say the highly publicised relationship between her ex-husband and his new partner was not awful and heartbreaking.

But she was certainly not throwing a party when Brangelina's split was announced.

As fans gleefully celebrated the end of Ange's marriage, Aniston's husband Justin Theroux came out of the woodwork to condemn the revelry. 

"As a child of divorce, all I can say is that's terrible news for those children, and that's all you can really say," he said at the time. "It's boring to sort of comment on anything else. People are having a bad time. That's horrible. [The public have] an endless appetite for trash, apparently."

While Justin and Jennifer were not looking to celebrate, the internet sure was. And they've been intent on keeping the 'we hate Angelina' party going since that day.

Angelina Jolia has been described as one of the "most hated" women in the world. Image: Getty.

In the eight years since she filed for divorce, an ugly and bitter battle over their separation has played out for the world to see. An even more dramatic lawsuit over their winery, Château Miraval, has been raging since 2022.

In December 2024, they finally agreed to the terms of their divorce settlement.

If you went back and read the comments on any social media posts related to the topic in recent years, you would find Brad's fans — mostly women — condemning Angelina. It didn't matter that her adult children had publicly distanced themselves from Brad, didn't matter what they had said about his behaviour. It didn't matter what Angelina had accused him of. It didn't matter what the truth might be. The public, and her Hollywood peers, appeared to have shunned Angelina.

But as she does the rounds for her Golden Globe-nominated film Maria, something seems to have shifted. 

As an actress, Angelina has been relatively stagnant since the split — appearing in only a handful of films as she removed herself from the spotlight to focus on motherhood. There's also something to be said for her decision to pull away, as hatred of her was at an all-time high. 

Maria is her return to the industry in many ways: an award-worthy film for a highly decorated actress. But it also marks a significant shift in the way the world is willing to treat her. 

At a recent roundtable event for awards season, Angelina was filmed alongside actresses Zendaya, Demi Moore, Tilda Swinton, Zoe Saldaña, and Mikey Madison. She spoke eloquently and passionately about filmmaking, in a way that made the others sit up and take notice. There's a behind-the-scenes video that shows the other women completely enamoured by her, with all eyes on Angelina as she chats with her peers.

At the Golden Globes this week, Kate Winslet was seen embracing Angelina and whispering in her ear. Salma Hayek was also snapped with Angelina, after recently declaring her support and friendship with the actress.

It's no surprise Angelina's return to good favour seems to be coinciding with the end of her divorce battle. With significant legal wins falling in her favour, and increasing insight into what her own children think and feel about their father becoming public knowledge. The industry still loves and celebrates Brad Pitt, but perhaps they've decided it's time to let Angelina Jolie back in.

Perhaps some have realised they might've been wrong.

As a gal who spends far too much time involved in Hollywood discourse, I myself have noticed a shift in how people are speaking about Angelina online. How the narrative surrounding her relationship with Brad — and their ongoing legal battles — has changed. His lawyers would like to paint her as the "vindictive" ex-wife. And that's a quote. But is it working anymore?

As more and more people appear to be coming around, it seems this is the year the world has finally forgiven Angelina Jolie. If her so-called mistakes were ever ours to forgive in the first place.

Feature Image: Getty.