Angelina Jolie opens up about double mastectomy scars in rare comments

Angelina Jolie has opened up about why she feels 'grateful' for her double mastectomy scars.

In 2013, Jolie underwent the operation, also known as a bilateral mastectomy, to remove both breasts. In an interview with TIME France last year, the 50-year-old opened up about her decision to undergo the surgery.

The star of Netflix's Maria explained that while she wasn't showing any signs of breast cancer, she did find out she carries the BRCA1 gene, which increases someone's risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer.

Jolie subsequently made the decision to have the surgery as a preventative measure, and in an interview with France Inter, the actor opened up further about how she feels towards the scars which have resulted from the operation.

In a clip of the interview shared to TikTok by France Inter on February 10, Jolie explains she's 'always been someone more interested in the scars and the life that people carry'.

Angelina Jolie has opened up about her relationship with her double mastectomy scars (Stefania D'Alessandro/Getty Images)

"I've never found it, I don't, I'm not drawn to some perfect idea of a life that has no scars," she added.

The actor reflected on her scars as 'a choice' she made 'to do what [she] could do to stay here as long as [she] could with [her] children'. And as a result, she 'love[s]' her scars 'because of that'.

Indeed, Jolie is mother to Maddox, 24, Pax, 22, Zahara, 21, Shiloh, 19, Knox, 17, and Vivienne, 17, whom she shares with ex-husband Brad Pitt.

In her previous interview with TIME France, Jolie noted she doesn't 'say everybody should do it that way', but she believes it's 'important to have the choice' and that it's a decision she personally does not 'regret'.

The Wanted star added she is 'grateful' she was afforded 'the opportunity to have the choice' and 'do something proactive' about her health, drawing on her experiences with her mother, actor Marcheline Bertrand.

Jolie said she sees her scars as a choice she made to ensure to spend as much time with her children as she can (TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Bertrand passed away in 2007 at the age of 56 following complications which resulted from diagnoses of ovarian and breast cancer.

She said: "I lost my mum when I was young and I'm raising my children without a grandmother."

Jolie resolved to France Inter: "I think this is life. If you get to the end of your life and you haven't made mistakes, you haven't made a mess, you don't have scars - you haven't lived a full enough life."

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.