Angelina Jolie has opened up about her divorce from Brad Pitt in a new interview, revealing that she was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy in the wake of their split last year.

Brangelina split up after more than a decade together, and two years of marriage, in September 2016, since going through a number of legal wrangles including with child services getting involved, investigating an alleged row between Brad and their eldest son, Maddox, on a private jet that happened around the same time.

However, the 42 year old actress and philanthropist spoke to Vanity Fair in an article published Wednesday (July 26th) about how the stress of the situation 10 months ago led to her soon being diagnosed both with high blood pressure and Bell’s Palsy, a type of paralysis that causes a sufferer to lose control of their facial muscles, a condition from which she’s since recovered.

Angelina JolieAngelina Jolie was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy after Brad Pitt split

“I actually feel more of a woman because I feel like I’m being smart about my choices, and I’m putting my family first, and I’m in charge of my life and health,” Angelina said. “I think that’s what makes a woman complete… Sometimes women in families put themselves last until it manifests itself in their own health.”

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In the same interview, she spoke about her immediate plans for the future, saying that following the recent release of her first Netflix movie First They Killed My Father five months ago, she’s been deliberately keeping out of the spotlight and focussing on her six children.

“I’m just wanting to make the proper breakfast and keep the house,” she continued. “That’s my passion. At the request of my kids, I’m taking cooking classes. As I go to sleep at night, I think, ‘Did I do a great job as a mom or was that an average day?’”

In terms of how she’s keeping things together despite the emotional turmoil, Jolie added that she does not want the kids to worry about her, and that “it's very important to cry in the shower and not in front of them.”

53 year old Pitt spoke about his side of the story for the first time back in an interview with GQ in May this year, and it’s the first time Jolie has spoken about the split.

More: Brad Pitt opens up about Angelina Jolie divorce for the first time