Angelina Jolie Is Not Dating British Rapper Akala: 'She Is Close Friends with Him and His Partner' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Angelina Jolie and Akala.Photo:Maria Moratti/Getty; Dave Benett/Getty

Maria Moratti/Getty; Dave Benett/Getty

Angelina Jolieis not romancing the British rapper Akala, a source tells PEOPLE.Despite a recentreportclaiming that Jolie, 49, and Akala, 40, are spending time together in London, a source close to Jolie tells PEOPLE that the Oscar winner is simply “close friends with Akala and his partner”. The source stresses that Akala’s partner “has also been at every event” Jolie and Akala have appeared at in recent days.“They all work together,” the source says. “Angelina remains focused on her family and is not dating at this time.”PEOPLE has reached out to Akala’s rep for comment.This is the second time the source close to Jolie has clarified that the actress and Akala, whose real name is Kingsley James McLean Daley, are not an item. Back in May,In Touchreported that Jolie had been privately seeing Akala for “more than a year,” while reports that they were dating surfaced again after they were seen leaving a hotel together in Venice during the Venice Film Festival in August.Angelina Jolie on Oct. 18, 2024.Neil Mockford/Getty“She and Akala are not dating. She is friends with him and his partner, Chanelle, who was also there," the source told PEOPLE on Aug. 29. Another source at the time said the pair have been friends for “several years” and that they “share the same passion when it comes to social and humanitarian causes.“Aside from Akala’s work in music — he has released five albums and multiple EPs since starting his recording career in the early 2000s — he is also an author, having published the nonfiction bookNatives: Race & Class in the Ruins of Empirein 2019.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“They did several collabs over the years that focus on global issues like human rights,” the second source added. “Angie speaks very highly of him.”Akala on April 27, 2018.Ollie Millington/RedfernsJolie appeared in London recently for theLondon Film Festivalpremiere of her new acclaimed movieMaria, in which sheportrays the famed 20th century opera singer Maria Callas.Mariais in select theaters Nov. 27 and releases on Netflix Dec. 11.

Angelina Jolieis not romancing the British rapper Akala, a source tells PEOPLE.

Despite a recentreportclaiming that Jolie, 49, and Akala, 40, are spending time together in London, a source close to Jolie tells PEOPLE that the Oscar winner is simply “close friends with Akala and his partner”. The source stresses that Akala’s partner “has also been at every event” Jolie and Akala have appeared at in recent days.

“They all work together,” the source says. “Angelina remains focused on her family and is not dating at this time.”

PEOPLE has reached out to Akala’s rep for comment.

This is the second time the source close to Jolie has clarified that the actress and Akala, whose real name is Kingsley James McLean Daley, are not an item. Back in May,In Touchreported that Jolie had been privately seeing Akala for “more than a year,” while reports that they were dating surfaced again after they were seen leaving a hotel together in Venice during the Venice Film Festival in August.

Angelina Jolie on Oct. 18, 2024.Neil Mockford/Getty

Neil Mockford/Getty

“She and Akala are not dating. She is friends with him and his partner, Chanelle, who was also there,” the source told PEOPLE on Aug. 29. Another source at the time said the pair have been friends for “several years” and that they “share the same passion when it comes to social and humanitarian causes.”

Aside from Akala’s work in music — he has released five albums and multiple EPs since starting his recording career in the early 2000s — he is also an author, having published the nonfiction bookNatives: Race & Class in the Ruins of Empirein 2019.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“They did several collabs over the years that focus on global issues like human rights,” the second source added. “Angie speaks very highly of him.”

Akala on April 27, 2018.Ollie Millington/Redferns

Ollie Millington/Redferns

Jolie appeared in London recently for theLondon Film Festivalpremiere of her new acclaimed movieMaria, in which sheportrays the famed 20th century opera singer Maria Callas.

Mariais in select theaters Nov. 27 and releases on Netflix Dec. 11.

source: people.com