Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie has spoken publicly for the first time about revealing the scars from her preventative double mastectomy, 15 years after undergoing the life-saving procedure.
In a new interview with TIME France, the 50-year-old said she chose to share her scars to stand in solidarity with other women and to raise awareness about breast cancer prevention. «I share these scars with many women I love,» Jolie said, adding that access to information and screening is essential for informed healthcare choices.
Jolie underwent the surgery in 2013 after learning she carries a BRCA1 gene mutation, which gave her an estimated 87% risk of breast cancer. In 2015, she also had her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed to reduce her cancer risk further. Breast cancer has deeply affected her family; her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died from the disease in 2007.
The actress used the interview to call for accessible and affordable genetic testing, stressing that healthcare decisions should not depend on wealth or location.
Jolie also discussed her upcoming film Couture, set for release next year, in which she plays a filmmaker diagnosed with breast cancer. She said the role appealed to her because it focuses not on illness alone, but on life beyond it.
