The Hollywood A-list stars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt split in 2016, and though their divorce was finalized in 2019, they are still in a bitter custody battle over their six children.

While promoting the new survival thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead, the 45 year-old Jolie opened up about times in her life when she felt “broken.” She may not have mentioned Pitt by name, but it seemed clear to many the she was referring to their split as a time in her life when she did indeed feel “broken.”

“We all have times in our lives where we feel broken, and I was in a period like that,” Jolie admitted to Entertainment Tonight. “I’ve had my share of things that made me feel… you know, hard to speak too much about it, but just overwhelming or broken. So to have an opportunity, I feel very lucky. I wish all women could have this at times in their lives.”

“I’ve had this many times in my life. When my mom passed away [from cancer in 2007] I did want it, you know? It’s apart of something when you feel you just want to kind of hide under the covers or you’re not sure what you got left in you,” she added. “You get an opportunity and I would encourage anybody to do it. You’re not a film actor, doesn’t matter. Go somewhere, see what you got in you. Put yourself against the elements, or try something you’ve never tried and kind of try to rediscover that strength within.”

Jolie went on to say that one of the ways she is constantly trying to anchor her self-worth in is with her “use to others.”

“I think that’s always been, or at least being a parent before then, just contribution. I think that’s what I try to tell my kids,” Jolie revealed. “It’s you can try a bit of this, you can do this with your life, but at the end of the day, what’s your contribution? What’s your contribution to others, you know?”

This comes a month after Jolie discussed what drew her to this movie in particular at this time in her life.

“I am drawn to people who have been through something and are broken and then find their way forward and overcome it,” Jolie said. “As an artist, it’s very healing to play people like that. She’s been very healing for me, because you just get so broken and then you stand back up.”

“On its surface, it feels like a great thriller, a great adventure across an unusual terrain inside a great fire,” she added. “Underneath it, it’s a really emotional film. It’s about people who have a great impact on each other and change each other. Emotionally and practically, they go through the fire.”