Angelina Jolie’s romantic history boasts more twists, turns, and headline-grabbing controversies than the plot of the latest hit Netflix thriller… yet it seems as though the actress may have finally turned a corner, at least as far as her choice of partner is concerned.
Having spent years shocking the world with tales of blood-filled necklaces, bold tattooed declarations of love, and, most recently, a bitter divorce and custody battle with Brad Pitt, the 47-year-old is rumored to have found a much more ‘normal’ and low-key relationship with Normal People star Paul Mescal, who is – for the most part – a world away from her former partners.
Of course, he boasts an impressive standing as one of TV’s most desirable hunks, but other than his on-screen sex appeal, Paul, 26, is something of an enigma on Angelina’s roster of previous relationships.
First, at 21 years her junior, Paul is far younger than any other romantic partner Angelina is known to have had.
But more importantly – perhaps most importantly – the actor is, by all accounts, an incredibly ‘normal’, down-to-earth, and very private person, one who seems incapable of ever pulling off the kinds of romantic stunts that Angelina’s ex-husbands and partners have pulled in the past.
It looks like Angelina Jolie may have a new man in her life, as she was recently spotted hanging out with Irish actor Paul Mescal
Her rumored new beau is practically worlds apart from the flashy and scandalous romances of her past. She is seen with her ex-husband Brad Pitt in 2014
Paul, who is originally from a small town in Ireland but currently living in London, is notoriously private – while he did gain some attention for his previous romance with singer Phoebe Bridgers, he doesn’t use social media and once said in an interview that he’s ‘keen to protect’ his personal life from the public eye.
By comparison, many of Angelina’s past relationships have been riddled with controversy. Arguably her most famous was her marriage to actor Brad Pitt, who she met on set of the 2004 movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
Right away, their love story was plagued with controversy as ferocious rumors swirled that Brad had cheated on his wife at the time, Jennifer Aniston, with Angelina.
Even so, the two were together for more than a decade, but when they separated in 2016, their divorce went on to become one of the messiest splits the industry has ever seen and one of the most covered Hollywood breakups in history.
And her and Brad’s tumultuous relationship was not the only headline-making romance that Angelina’s has had.
Her marriage to actor Billy Bob Thornton – which saw them tying the knot with a surprise Las Vegas wedding in 2000, while he was still engaged to actress Laura Dern – was strange to say the least.
Throughout the two-year romance, the pair received attention for wearing each other’s blood in necklaces, admitting that they ‘occasionally’ swap underwear, and stating that their love was so passionate that they thought they were going to ‘die every few minutes.’
After years of failed marriages, controversial parings, and sordid sex scandals – is uber-normal Paul what Angelina needs? As she and the Irish actor spark dating rumors, FEMAIL has taken a look back at her most scandalous past relationships.
Angelina was recently spotted on a coffee date with notoriously private Normal People hunk Paul
Angelina and Paul’s meetup comes just weeks after it was reported that the actor and his fiancée, singer Phoebe Bridgers (seen in May 2022), had split
Angelina and Paul sparked dating rumors when they were spotted grabbing a coffee together after she watched him perform in the play A Streetcar Named Desire at the Almeida theatre in London on January 2.
The unlikely duo was pictured hanging out in the theater’s coffee shop, where they were joined by Angelina’s daughter, Shiloh.
The meetup comes just weeks after it was reported that Paul and his fiancée, Phoebe, had split.
Paul, an Irish actor who is 21 years Angelina’s junior, started his career off by performing in various plays in Dublin.
He then landed his first on-screen role in the drama series Normal People, before making his feature film debut in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s psychological thriller The Lost Daughter.
The actor (seen in December 2022) is notoriously private – he doesn’t have a public Instagram account and his Twitter hasn’t been updated since 2020
He has also starred in the 2022 flick Aftersun, the drama God’s Creatures, and the musical Carmen.
The actor is notoriously private – he doesn’t have a public Instagram account and his Twitter hasn’t been updated since 2020.
While speaking to Bustle in September – who described him as a man of mystery, and wrote that it was ‘difficult to extract much personal information over an hour with the preternaturally polite, good-natured 26-year-old’ – he said he was ‘keen to protect’ his personal life.
He also spoke about his decision to stop using social media, explaining, ‘It’s a specific 21st-century skill that I don’t think I have. The payoff isn’t very good. There is access to you 24/7, all the time.’
She was linked to singer The Weeknd in 2021, and he later wrote about their romance on his album
Angelina and The Weeknd, 32, were first linked in July 2021, and they were spotted numerous romantic date nights throughout that summer and fall. They are seen in September 2021
Angelina and The Weeknd, 32, were first linked in July 2021, when they were seen enjoying a cozy dinner together in Los Angeles, California – and their relationship was anything but private.
While the rumored romance appeared to have fizzled out after that – they haven’t been seen together since then – The Weeknd (seen in December 2022) seemingly included a lyric about their romance on his album Dawn FM
While they stayed tight-lipped when asked about the romance, it didn’t appear as though they were trying to keep it hidden since they were spotted numerous romantic date nights throughout the summer and fall of 2021.
Sources told Us Weekly in October 2021 that Angelina was having ‘so much fun’ hanging out with the singer, explaining, ‘She’s making up for lost time.’
‘There’s no pressure or expectation at this point, just a lot of fun, and Angelina’s really enjoying it,’ the insider said. ‘Her friends haven’t seen her this up and energized in forever.
‘She wasn’t interested in dating anyone for years after her divorce [from Brad] because she was so busy being a mom and staying on top of her career.’
It was reported that they bonded because her children are fans of his music, with a separate insider telling the outlet, ‘They’re crazy about him and they love him.
‘They’ve all become quite buddy buddy, and the kids find it so cool that their mom has a connection with The Weeknd.’
While the rumored romance appeared to have fizzled out after that – they haven’t been seen together since then – The Weeknd seemingly included a lyric about their romance on his album Dawn FM, which was released in January 2022.
‘My new girl’s a movie star,’ he sang on the track Here We Go… Again, and many believed he was referring to Angelina.
Angelina and Brad’s marriage – and divorce – went on to become one of the most talked about pairings in Hollywood
Angelina and Brad (seen in 2015), 59, first met on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2004, when he was still married to Jennifer Aniston
Brad separated from Jennifer in January 2005, and soon after, he and Angelina (seen in 2015) confirmed that they were dating – becoming one of the most talked about couples of all time
Angelina and Brad, 59, first met on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2004, when he was still married to Jennifer, and from the start, their relationship was plagued by scandal.
As they grew closer and closer while making the movie, rumors ferociously swirled that he cheated on Jennifer with Angelina.
And while the two denied the allegations at the time, they did later admit that they fell for each other during the 2004 movie’s production.
Brad separated from Jennifer in January 2005, and soon after, he and Angelina confirmed that they were dating – becoming one of the most talked about couples of all time.
They were together for nearly a decade before they tied the knot in August 2014, and they went on to welcome three children together, Shiloh, 16, Vivienne, and Knox, both 14.
They also adopted two others, Zahara, 17, and Pax, 19, and Brad legally adopted the son that Angelina had adopted before they got together, Maddox, 21.
They were together for nearly a decade before they tied the knot in August 2014, and they went on to welcome three children together, Shiloh, 16, Vivienne, and Knox, both 14
They also adopted two others, Zahara, 17, and Pax, 19, and Brad legally adopted the son that Angelina had adopted before they got together, Maddox, 21. The family is seen in 2011
But in August 2016, their romance came crashing down when news hit the web that the actress had filed for a divorce from Brad, citing irreconcilable differences.
But in August 2016, their romance came crashing down when news hit the web that the actress had filed for a divorce from Brad, and she later accused him of domestic violence. They are seen together in 2007
She later accused him of domestic violence in a series of explosive claims, alleging that the actor ‘grabbed her by the head’ and ‘pushed her into the bathroom wall’ during an argument between them on a private plane in September 2016.
‘I separated for the well-being of my family. It was the right decision,’ Angelina later told Vogue India. ‘I continue to focus on their healing.
‘Some have taken advantage of my silence, and the children see lies about themselves in the media, but I remind them that they know their own truth and their own minds. In fact, they are six very brave, very strong young people.’
Since then, the former couple has been embroiled in a nasty custody battle over their six kids.
Brad and Angelina were granted joint custody in May 2021, however, months later, Judge John Ourderkirk was dismissed from their case due to a past ‘business relationship’ with Brad’s lawyers – which meant his ruling was vacated.
Angelina married Billy Bob in Vegas while he was still dating Laura, and the two made headlines for wearing each other’s blood around their necks
Before her tumultuous, 11-year relationship with Brad, Angelina was married to Billy Bob Thornton (seen in 1999), 67, and their whirlwind romance was also riddled with controversy
Billy Bob was engaged to Laura Dern (seen in 1999) when his relationship to Angelina started. She said: ‘I left our home to work on a movie, and while I was away, my boyfriend got married’
Before her tumultuous, 11-year relationship with Brad, Angelina was married to Billy Bob, 67, and their whirlwind romance was also riddled with controversy.
They first met on set of the 1999 movie Pushing Tin – while they were both dating other people – Billy Bob was engaged to Laura while Angelina was in a relationship with Timothy Hutton.
But in May 2000, Billy Bob and Angelina shocked the world when they announced that they had gotten married during a secret Las Vegas wedding.
Angelina also got the words ‘Billy Bob’ tattooed onto her left arm, to prove her dedication to the actor.
Laura later stated in an interview, ‘I left our home to work on a movie, and while I was away, my boyfriend got married, and I’ve never heard from him again.’
After becoming husband and wife, Angelina and Billy Bob sat down for a bizarre, intimate interview with Us Weekly, in which the stars said their love was ‘so good’ that they were ‘afraid it was going to kill them.’
‘The other day we were mentioning how I needed to get one of those heart monitors on me because I’m convinced I’m going to have a heart attack,’ Angelina added.
In May 2000, Billy Bob and Angelina shocked the world when they announced that they had gotten married during a secret Las Vegas wedding. They are seen in 2001
Angelina later got the words ‘Billy Bob’ tattooed onto her left arm to prove her dedication to the actor
After becoming husband and wife, Angelina and Billy Bob told Us Weekly that their love was ‘so good’ that they were ‘afraid it was going to kill them.’ They are pictured together in 2000
‘He kissed me the other day and I nearly fainted. I swear on my family’s lives. I nearly fell over.
‘It’s amazing that we actually leave the room – ever. But you know what? It’s beautiful and I think I’m going to die every few minutes.
‘Then I feel so complete and safe an warm and in love and then I just feel like I’m on fire and I’m so excited and I didn’t know I could feel that through my entire body.’
He also stated on a red carpet once that he and Angelina had ‘f**ked in the car on the way there,’ and the couple revealed they wanted to install a padded room in their house for the ‘moments in the middle of the night when they wanted to kill each other because they were so in love.’
Things got weirder when Billy Bob once said that he and Angelina ‘occasionally’ swap underwear, and in 2001, the pair made headlines when they announced that they were wearing vials of each other’s blood around each other’s necks.
In 2001, the pair made headlines when they announced that they were wearing vials of each other’s blood around each other’s necks. They ultimately split in 2002. They are seen that year
‘The necklaces were a very simple thing, “Hey let’s poke our fingers with a pen and smear a little blood on there and when we’re away from each other we’ll wear the necklace,”‘ Billy Bob defended to Insider after receiving backlash for the strange jewelry.
‘It was that easy. But by the time it came out in the press it sounded like we were wearing a bucket of blood around our necks.’
As fast as the relationship started, it came to an end in 2002. While they didn’t reveal what went wrong at the time, Angelina later told Vogue that they had both changed.
‘It took me by surprise, too, because overnight, we totally changed,’ she recalled. ‘I think one day we had just nothing in common.
‘And it’s scary but… I think it can happen when you get involved and you don’t know yourself yet.’
She got her tattoo removed one year after the separation. Even so, it seems as though there is no animosity between them, since Billy Bob claimed that he and Angelina are still friends during an interview with GQ in 2016. She also wrote the forward to his memoir in 2012.
Angelina wore rubber pants and a shirt covered in blood when she married Jonny Lee Miller in 1996
Angelina and Jonny Lee Miller, 50, fell in love after filming the 1995 movie Hackers together (seen). And when they tied the knot one year later, their wedding quickly made headlines
Angelina (seen with Jonny in 1998) wore black, rubber pants and a white shirt that had Jonny’s name written in her own blood on the back – as a ‘testament to her offbeat approach to life’
Angelina and Jonny Lee Miller, 50, fell in love after filming the 1995 movie Hackers together. And when they tied the knot one year later, their wedding quickly made headlines.
The nuptials were reportedly only attended by Angelina’s mother and Jonny’s best friend, but it was Angelina’s choice of clothing that captured the nation’s attention.
She wore black, rubber pants and a white shirt that had Jonny’s name written in her own blood on the back – as a ‘testament to her offbeat approach to life.’
When asked why she opted to use her blood to decorate the shirt, she told the New York Times, ‘It’s your husband. You’re about to marry him. You can sacrifice a little to make it really special.’
She explained that she drew the blood herself, ‘very carefully,’ with a ‘clean surgical needle.’
When asked why she opted to use her blood to decorate the shirt, she said, ‘It’s your husband. You’re about to marry him. You can sacrifice a little to make it really special’
But after becoming husband and wife, Angelina said she struggled with married life, with her telling the outlet that she ‘kind of lost her identity.’
They eventually broke up in 1997 after just one year or marriage, and their divorce was finalized in 1999. They are seen in the 1995 movie Hackers
‘You’re suddenly somebody’s wife. And you’re like, “Oh, I’m half of a couple now. I’ve lost me,”‘ she said.
‘We went on some morning show, and they threw rice on us and they gave us toasters. I was thinking, “I need to get myself back.”‘
They eventually broke up in 1997 after just one year or marriage, and their divorce was finalized in 1999.
The split appears to be amicable because Angelina called him one of her ‘greatest friends’ to Buzzfeed in 2014.
There was brief reconciliation rumors when they were seen hanging out again in 2021, but it was reported at the time that the meetup was not romantic.
