Angelina Jolie has found it "hard" being single.

The 42-year-old actress filed for divorced from Brad Pitt in September 2016 after a two-year marriage and 12-year romance, but the brunette beauty has admitted she never wanted to not be in a relationship, and although she appears to be coping with the break up she has admitted she is simply putting on a brave face.

The 'Lara Croft: Tomb raider' star told The Telegraph newspaper: "Sometimes it appears I'm pulling it all together but really I'm just trying to get through my days. Emotionally it's been a very difficult year.

"I don't enjoy being single. It's not something I wanted. There's nothing nice about it. It's just hard."

And the movie icon, who recently underwent a double mastectomy and had Bell's Palsy on her face, has admitted since the break-up she has had to "monitor" her health.

She added: "My health is something I have to monitor."

Although Angelina - who has six children, Maddox, 15, Pax, 13, Zahara, 12, Shiloh, 11, and nine-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne - managed to treat the condition, which causes temporary weakness or paralysis in the face, using acupuncture, she didn't treat the ailment for a long time because she was so focused on putting her family first.

Speaking previously, she said: "I can't tell if it's menopause or if it's just been the year I've had. Sometimes women in families put themselves last until it manifests itself in their own health."

The 'By The Sea' actress won't stop putting her brood before her own health though, because she believes being so dedicated to her family is what "completes" her as a "woman".

She said: "I actually feel like more of a woman because I'm being smart about my choices, and I'm putting my family first, and I'm in charge of my life and my health. I think that's what makes a woman complete."