Hollywood activism may soon claim another high-profile “exile.” Actress Angelina Jolie, long known as one of the entertainment industry’s loudest progressive voices, is reportedly preparing to leave the United States once her youngest children reach adulthood — a move critics say reflects a growing trend of celebrity grandstanding in the Trump era.
According to a report in People, Jolie has privately expressed a desire to permanently relocate overseas, but is currently bound to Los Angeles because of custody arrangements with ex-husband Brad Pitt. The outlet claims the actress has “never wanted to live in L.A. full-time” and is essentially waiting out the clock until twins Vivienne and Knox turn 18 this July.
An unnamed insider told the magazine that Jolie is actively scouting international destinations and will be “very happy” when she can finally leave Southern California. The report stops short of naming a final destination, but suggests she is looking broadly abroad rather than elsewhere in the United States.
Jolie has not exactly been subtle about her dissatisfaction with the country. During an appearance at the San Sebastián Film Festival, she lamented what she described as a nation she no longer recognizes. As reported by Variety, Jolie declared, “I love my country, but at this time, I don’t recognize my country,” before launching into a critique of political and cultural divisions.
She framed her worldview as “equal, united, and international,” warning that anything limiting personal expression is “very dangerous.” To supporters, the remarks read as moral concern. To critics, they sound like another wealthy celebrity scolding the country that made her famous — while enjoying the freedom and prosperity that allowed her global lifestyle in the first place.
Jolie has voiced similar sentiments before. In a 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, she suggested she was emotionally preparing to leave the United States in the name of protecting her family and preserving a sense of “humanity” she claims to find more readily abroad.
She has repeatedly pointed to Cambodia as a place of personal significance. In a conversation with Vogue India, Jolie credited the country with awakening her interest in refugee issues and international activism, work she later pursued with the UNHCR. Cambodia is also where she adopted her first child — a life event she describes in almost spiritual terms.
Her potential departure would place her in the company of other outspoken anti-Trump celebrities who have flirted with, or followed through on, leaving the country. Comedian Rosie O’Donnell famously relocated to Ireland, while former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres decamped for a sprawling estate in England.
For many Americans, the pattern is familiar: celebrities threaten to flee when political outcomes don’t match their preferences, only to continue benefiting from American markets, audiences, and freedoms. Whether Jolie ultimately follows through remains to be seen. But the episode underscores a widening cultural divide — one where Hollywood elites increasingly portray the United States as unrecognizable, even as millions of immigrants still see it as a beacon worth risking everything to reach.
If Jolie does depart, she will hardly be the first star to discover that criticizing America is profitable — but leaving it is optional.
