Just days after denying rumors surrounding her weight loss, Angelina Jolie is back in headlines again regarding more gossip – this time about her love life.
The mother of six, who is still in the middle of a nearly decade-long divorce battle with fellow actor Brad Pitt, has been reportedly forming a tight bond with U.K. rapper Akala.
Photos of the two spotted out together in Venice surfaced on the internet in late August and it has caused quite a stir with fans. Now many are seeking answers on the nature of their relationship seeing as Akala has a girlfriend.
Akala is currently dating Chanelle Newman, executive producer of his music and the Hip-hop Shakespeare Company, according to Daily Mail.
Fans reacted to the photos writing, “I thought he was married,” and “Akala dating Angelina Jolie was not on my 2024 bingo card.”
But a purported insider spoke to In Touch Weekly, to clear up any speculation regarding the two. “Angelina and Akala have been hanging out for quite a while,” the gossip site reported it was told.
The two producers allegedly have a shared passion for “activism and humanitarianism” and are “looking for a project to work together on as well.”
Further explaining how Akala has made an impact in Jolie’s life, the anonymous mouthpiece supposedly said, “He’s been such a refreshing influence in her life and someone she can really lean on and trust because he’s so discreet. He’s like a vault, and he’s very protective of her and her kids.”
But despite their closeness, the insider assures fans that the actress and rapper are merely close friends.
It’s not clear when Akala began his relationship with Newman, but the two have more than just emotions intertwined. The couple have also gone into business together by co-founding a production company called Immovable Studios.
With all of the speculation, fans did a little more digging and found a photo of Akala, Jolie, and Newman posing together.
The insider told In Touch Weekly, “It’s true, his girlfriend is there quite frequently.”
All of the recent commotion surrounding Jolie has sparked a few online debates on Jolie’s character when it comes to men who are taken — and more specifically Pitt. The notorious relationship began with a scandal because, at the alleged start of their romance, Pitt was already married to actress Jennifer Aniston for nearly five years.
One X user criticized the “Salt” actress after a headliner reads, “Angelina Jolie Says She Doesn’t Keep Many Close Friends Because She Has ‘Been Betrayed a Lot.’ To that, the X user said, “Her last two husbands were in relationships when they started with them but.”
In addition to Pitt, the user is referring to Jolie’s relationship to Billy Bob Thorton — who abruptly ended his engagement shortly before dating the “Wanted” actress.
To that user’s post, another X user responded writing, “The selective reintroduction of Angelina Jolie as a heroine never ceases to amaze me. I’m Gen X. I’m from the generation that saw her make out with her brother, wear a vial of Billy Bob Thornton’s blood in public, and stole Jenn Anniston’s husband. She was always weird.”
A third X user quoted that post saying, “How did she ‘steal’ Jennifer Aniston’s husband? It was BRAD PITT’S responsibility to honor his vows. Angelina Jolie would have been the villain if she threw herself at Brad repeatedly DESPITE HIS REJECTIONS. Instead, he made it clear that it was all systems go.”
Jolie and Pitt got married in 2014 but shockingly separated just two short years later.
But fast-forward to 2024, and the two are still working on finalizing their divorce as they need to settle custody agreements regarding their children. In addition, the former couple are still clashing over their once co-owned winery, Chateau Miraval.
