Angelina Jolie has called for more “wicked women” in the world, describing such females as those “who won’t give up on their voice and rights”.
The 44-year-old actress reprises her role as the villainous Maleficent in the upcoming Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, with the character the epitome of all things wicked. But reflecting on the meaning of the word in an interview with Elle U.K., Angelina suggested that wicked women are ones who should be admired and respected – because they stand up for what they believe in, regardless of the consequences.
“Looking across the world, we have to ask, Why is so much energy expended to keep women in a secondary position? Looked at in this light, ‘wicked women’ are just women who are tired of injustice and abuse,” she explained. “Women who refuse to follow rules and codes they don’t believe are best for themselves or their families. Women who won’t give up on their voice and rights, even at the risk of death or imprisonment or rejection by their families and communities. If that is wickedness, then the world needs more wicked women.”
As a mother of six, Angelina is doing her best to shape the minds of her children, including daughters Shiloh, Zahara, and Vivienne. And when it comes to the most important lesson she’s teaching her girls, the screen star wants them to have strong, independent minds.
“I often tell my daughters that the most important thing they can do is to develop their minds,” she said. “You can always put on a pretty dress, but it doesn’t matter what you wear on the outside if your mind isn’t strong. There is nothing more attractive – you might even say enchanting – than a woman with an independent will and her own opinions.”
