Recent rumors have suggested that Angelina Jolie and British rapper Akala may be growing close, with reports claiming that he has introduced the Oscar-winning actress to his friends and family. According to the Daily Mail, sources say the two have bonded over a shared love of history and Akala’s extensive knowledge on the subject.
However, a source close to Jolie has refuted these claims, telling PEOPLE that there is no romance between them. The source clarified that Jolie and Akala are simply close friends and that Akala’s partner has been present at every event the two have attended together in recent days.
A source shared that “they all work together,” emphasizing that Angelina Jolie is currently prioritizing her family and “is not dating at this time.”
This marks the second occasion where someone close to Jolie has set the record straight about her relationship status with Akala, whose birth name is Kingsley James McLean Daley. Back in May, In Touch claimed that the two had been quietly involved for over a year. Rumors of them being a couple resurfaced in August when they were spotted leaving the same hotel in Venice during the Venice Film Festival.
A source told PEOPLE on August 29, “She and Akala are not dating. She is friends with him and his partner, Chanelle, who was also there.”
At the time, another insider mentioned that Jolie and Akala had been friends for “several years” and bonded over their shared commitment to social and humanitarian causes.
Beyond his career in music—having dropped five albums and multiple EPs since launching his recording career in the early 2000s—Akala is also a published author. His nonfiction book, Natives: Race & Class in the Ruins of Empire, was released in 2019.
“They did several collabs over the years that focus on global issues like human rights,” the second source noted. “Angie speaks very highly of him.”
Jolie recently made an appearance in London for the premiere of her highly praised film Maria at the London Film Festival. In the movie, she takes on the role of legendary 20th-century opera singer Maria Callas.
Maria will have a limited theatrical release starting November 27 before becoming available on Netflix on December 11.