Angelina Jolie has spent decades redefining what it means to be powerful in Hollywood. This week, she added another chapter to that legacy. For the first time, the “Maria” star has chosen to publicly show her mastectomy scars, a deeply personal decision tied to health, grief, science, and solidarity.
In a new interview with TIME France, Jolie, now 50, explained why she felt ready to share the physical reality of her preventive double mastectomy more than a decade after undergoing the procedure. The reveal is subtle but intentional. For the magazine’s cover, she wears a low-cut black sweater, gently covering one breast with her hand, allowing the scars to exist without spectacle or apology.
© Time FrancePhotos showing the results of her surgery will accompany the full interview, set to be published in the December 18 issue of TIME France.
Why Angelina Jolie Decided to Share Her Scars Now
Jolie’s choice was not about shock value or reinvention. It was about connection. “I share these scars with many women I love,” she told TIME France. “And I’m always moved when I see other women share theirs.”Her decision was also tied to the magazine’s broader mission. The publication will use the issue to spotlight breast health, cancer prevention, and access to medical knowledge. Jolie wanted her own story to sit alongside that information, not above it. “I wanted to join them, knowing that TIME France would be sharing information about breast health, prevention, and knowledge about breast cancer,” she explained.
© Mondadori Portfolio via Getty ImThe moment feels less like a reveal and more like an invitation. An acknowledgment that survival leaves marks, and those marks deserve space.
A Preventive Surgery That Changed the Conversation
In May 2013, Jolie publicly disclosed that she had undergone a preventive double mastectomy after learning she carries a mutation of the BRCA1 gene. At the time, the announcement sent shockwaves through celebrity culture and the medical world alike.
Doctors estimated that the mutation gave her an 87 percent risk of developing breast cancer and a 50 percent risk of ovarian cancer. The decision to remove both breasts, followed by reconstructive surgery, was a proactive step rooted in data, family history, and a desire to be present for her children.
© Joy MaloneTwo years later, in March 2015, Jolie underwent another preventive surgery, having her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Her openness helped bring terms like BRCA mutation and genetic screening into mainstream conversations, particularly among women who had never been told such testing was even an option.
The Family Losses That Shaped Her Choice
Jolie’s decisions were not made in a vacuum. Cancer has haunted her family for generations. Her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died of cancer in 2007 at the age of 56. Jolie was in her early thirties at the time. Her grandmother and aunt also lost their lives to cancer, creating a pattern that was impossible to ignore. The surgeries were not just about Jolie’s body. They were about breaking a cycle.
For the mother of six, the math was brutally simple. Fewer risks meant more time. More time meant more life with her children.
Calling for Universal Access to BRCA Screening
In her new interview, Jolie used her platform to push for something she has long advocated for: equal access to genetic testing and preventive care. “Every woman should always be able to determine her own healthcare journey and have the information she needs to make informed choices,” she said. “Genetic testing and screening should be accessible and affordable for women with clear risk factors or a significant family history.”
© WireImageShe was clear that healthcare decisions must remain personal. But personal choice only works when information and resources are available. “When I shared my experience in 2013, it was to encourage informed choices,” she added. “Healthcare decisions must be personal, and women must have the information and support they need to make those choices. Access to screening and care should not depend on financial resources or where someone lives.”
By choosing to show her mastectomy scars now, Jolie is reframing the past. In an industry obsessed with erasure, Angelina Jolie has once again chosen visibility. Quiet, intentional, and rooted in purpose.
The scars are not the headline. The knowledge is.
