Angelina Jolie proudly watches as her close friend Akala hugs her son Pax at the Maria premiere – after the actress sparked romance rumors with the British rapper

Angelina Jolie proudly watched as her close friend Akala and her son Pax lovingly embraced each other at the Maria premiere in New York on Sunday night.

The 49-year-old actress attended the premiere of her new film Maria with her sons Pax, 20, and Maddox, 23, and daughter Zahara, 19, during the 62nd New York Film Festival.

And shortly after the star-studded night, Angelina was overcome with joy as she watched Akala, 40, and Pax embrace.

In recent months, Angelina sparked rumors of a romance with British rapper Akala after the pair were spotted leaving their hotel in Italy during the Venice Film Festival.

However, sources confirmed that the pair are not an item, and an insider said that Angelina “is friends with him and his partner Chanelle.” [Newman] Who was there too?

After her bitter split from Brad Pitt, Angelina grew close with the rapper and political activist.

Still, the couple share a strong bond, as a second source explains: “They share the same passion when it comes to social and humanitarian causes.”

“They have conducted several collaborations over the years focused on global issues such as human rights. Angie speaks highly of him.’

In Touch had claimed that the actress had been seeing the musician privately for “more than a year.”

However, a People’s source claimed that Angelina is “currently single and not seriously dating anyone.”

MailOnline contacted Angelina’s representatives for comment at the time.

It seems Angelina’s kids also like the rapper after Pax met him at the premiere.

Pax appeared to be in high spirits after the horrific e-bike accident he was involved in last July, which sent him to hospital.

The actress wowed in an elegant white dress with a pleated skirt, which she paired with black peep-toe heels.

Her daughter Zahara wore a silky white dress to match her. Maddox wore a classic black suit while Pax wore a gray one and a black wrist brace.

Missing from the event were her three younger children Shiloh (18) and the twins Vivienne and Knox (16), whom she shares with her ex-husband Brad Pitt (60).

The couple has been in a bitter divorce battle since their split in 2016.

Angelina’s sons also worked in the AD department on the set of Maria – directed by Pablo Larraín – and she admitted that the work was good for her.

She told The Hollywood Reporter: “They’ve done that a few times and I think that’s good for them. “Pax usually does stills and gets brought in, and Pablo was great and realized he was good at it.”

The actress was also grateful to have her sons around to support her because Maria Callas’ opera performance was so emotionally demanding.

She added: “It really meant a lot to me that my boys were there with me on Maria. “When I was having really hard times, they would come over and just give me a hug or have a cup of tea.”

“That was probably one of the more intense things – when I express so much pain, it’s not usually done in front of my children.” “You’re really trying to hide from your children how much pain and sadness you’re carrying. “

“And for them to be with you, when you put it on that level, I think it was the first time they’d ever heard me cry like that. ‘That’s usually for the shower.’

The first trailer for Maria was released last week. The film begins in the last days of the soprano’s life and looks back at all the triumphs and tragedies along the way.

Callas died of a heart attack at her home in Paris on September 16, 1977, at the age of 53.

Angelina said that roles like Callas happen “once in a lifetime,” adding, “I mean, it’s certainly the most challenging,” Deadline reported.

To portray the opera singer, Jolie spent seven months learning six of the late singer’s most famous arias.