Angelina Jolie makes rare comment about ex-husband as she makes surprise admission about their relationship

Despite famously striving for a more private life in recent years, Angelina Jolie has this week made a bold admission about one of her former relationships.

Speaking at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Wednesday (5 Feb), the Wanted actress reflected on the relationship she previously enjoyed with one of her exes, and discussed where they stand now.

As we say, despite having starred in a plethora of blockbuster hits throughout the 2000s and 2010s, in recent years, 49-year-old Jolie has only been seen in public a handful of times.

She famously made a move from working in front of the camera to behind it, focusing more on directing and producing in recent years.

In 2011, she made her directorial debut with war-drama The Land Of Blood and Money, bagging a Golden Globe nomination, before directing another seven movies.

This naturally provided the film star with an increased amount of privacy, which also lined up with some changes in her personal life.

In 2016, she and her Mrs And Mrs Smith co-star husband Brad Pitt called time on their relationship - after having welcomed six children together - and their divorce was finalised last year.

Since then, she's spoken infrequently about both her professional endeavours, and extremely rarely about her personal antics.

The actress has enjoyed a more private life in recent years (Tommaso Boddi/Variety via Getty Images)

Naturally, therefore, fans of the Hollywood favourite were left somewhat surprised earlier this week to hear Jolie making a comment about one of her past relationships.

And no, it wasn't 61-year-old Pitt - about whom she's persistently remained tight-lipped.

It's her first husband, English actor Jonny Lee Miller, to whom she married in 1996 after meeting on the set of Hackers a year prior.

They sadly split three years later, however.

Jolie and Lee's divorce was finalised in 2000, and weeks later, Jolie married fellow film star Billy Bob Thornton.

Despite having split from Miller almost three decades ago, it sounds as though the actress still has a lot of love for her first hubby, and reflecting on their partnership at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival earlier this week, she had nothing but kind words.

After accepting her accolade for the Maltin Modern Master award, she looked back on the highs and lows of her career, beginning with Hackers.

Jolie and Miller met on the set of Hackers in 1995 (United Artists/Getty Images)

"I was just saying to somebody, it's really funny because I think you're starting with Hackers, right?" she reportedly said at the festival.

"Yeah, it's Jonny. I just talked to him. I love that — I get to see my ex-husband with 2,000 people," Jolie subsequently jibed.

And after a clip from the film was played, she smiled: "Amazing. It’s so nice to see it.

"Actually, it's funny, I don't really watch my own films, and so I [don't] think I've seen it since the premiere.

"But I do have a wonderful relationship with Jonny, and he and I have sons the same age and I'm so happy."

Jolie's recent and rare insight comes just weeks after she was asked whether any of she and ex Pitt's children would likely follow in their parents' acting footsteps - to which she said no.

Speaking on Good Morning America in November (22), the A-lister explained: "None of my children want to be in front of the camera at this time.

"They're quite private. Shiloh's extremely private. They weren't born with privacy, right? So I hope they can have that as they grow."

Jolie shares her six children with ex Brad Pitt (Jun Sato/WireImage)

And weeks earlier, during an appearance on Tonight With Jimmy Fallon (5 Dec), the Changeling actress was the same question.

"My kids - I think some of them off-camera, like behind the scenes," she awkwardly began.

"But they really, really want to be - especially Shiloh - would really like to be private. Just private, like, not photographed, not on the thing."

Discussing Shiloh's wish, the star added: "Her, most of all, would like privacy."

After presenter Jimmy later pointed out, 'It must get tricky, with everyone being so famous', Jolie laughed before responding, 'But it wasn't their choice'.

"So, some people are more comfortable with the public, some people are most comfortable on talk-shows, and some people are not," she added.

• Angelina Jolie makes emotional confession about daughter Shiloh in rare comment about her children
• Kim Kardashian makes rare comment about Taylor Swift following decade-long feud
• Ariana Grande makes rare admission about Ethan Slater relationship during interview
• Chadwick Boseman's widow makes rare admission as late husband receives new honour