Shropshire Star

Angelina Jolie not ruling out move into politics

The Hollywood star said she had no skeletons left in her closet as she guest-edited the Today programme.

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Angelina Jolie speaking to Today

Angelina Jolie has not ruled out a move into politics – joking she has no skeletons left in her closet.

The Hollywood star and mother-of-six pondered her future as she guest-edited Radio 4’s flagship Today programme.

She told presenter Justin Webb she “can take a lot on the chin”.

He asked her: “I’m not necessarily getting you to run for president on the programme but are you moving in a direction of politics?”

The Oscar winner, 43, replied: “If you asked me 20 years ago I would’ve laughed. I really don’t know.

Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie guest-edited the Today programme (Yui Mok/PA)

“I always say I’ll go where I’m needed. I don’t know if I’m fit for politics with …  but then I’ve also joked that I don’t know if I have a skeleton left in my closet.

“So I’m pretty open and out there,” the actress, who had an acrimonious split with Brad Pitt, said.

“I can take a lot on the chin so that’s good. But I honestly will do whatever I think can really make change.”

Jolie, a special envoy for UN refugee agency the UNHCR, added: “Right now I am able to work with a UN agency … to do a lot of work directly with the people in need.

“I’m also able to work with governments … so I sit in a very interesting place of being able to get a lot done, without a title and without it being about myself or my policies. So for now I’ll sit quiet.”

The US actress laughed as Webb suggested she could be on the list of 30 to 40 Democrats running for the party’s presidential nomination.

BBC Radio 4 Today/Anna Gordon
Angelina Jolie in the studio (BBC Radio 4 Today/Anna Gordon)

Jolie admitted being wild and a “bit of a young punk” in her youth but said: “I don’t feel I’ve changed much at all”.

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and the Nobel Peace Prize winner and Congolese gynaecologist Denis Mukwege were among those to feature in her programme.

Previous guest editors over the years have included Prince Harry, Sir Lenny Henry and Sir Richard Branson.

Veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby, who stepped down as the host of Question Time after 25 years, was the first of this year’s guest editors.

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