Angelina Jolie looks on proudly as her close friend Akala embraces her son Pax at Maria premiere - after actress sparked romance rumours with the British rapper

Angelina Jolie looked on proudly as her close friend Akala and son Pax shared a sweet embrace at Maria premiere in New York on Sunday night.

The actress, 49, 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 hug.

In recent months, Angelina sparked romance rumours with British rapper Akala after the pair were seen emerging from her hotel in Italy during Venice Film Festival .

However, sources confirmed that the couple are not an item, with an insider telling that Angelina 'is friends with him and his partner, Chanelle [Newman] who was also there'.

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

Yet the pair do share a strong bond, with a second source stating: 'They share the same passion when it comes to social and humanitarian causes.

'They did several collabs over the years that focus on global issues like human rights. Angie speaks very highly of him.'

It had been claimed by In Touch that the actress had been privately seeing the musician for 'more than a year'.

However, People's source claimed Angelina is 'currently single and not dating seriously'.

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

It seems Angelina's children are also fond of the rapper following Pax's encounter with him at the premiere.

Pax appeared in great spirits following the horrific e-bike accident he was involved in this past July, which landed him in the hospital.

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

Her daughter Zahara matched her in a silk white dress. Maddox rocked a classic black suit, while Pax sported a grey one, as well as a black wrist brace.

Missing from action were her three younger kids, Shiloh, 18, and twins Vivienne and Knox, 16, whom she shares with ex-husband Brad Pitt, 60.

The pair have been involved in a bitter ongoing 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 the work is good for them.

She told The Hollywood Reporter: 'They've done that quite a few times, and I think that's good for them. Pax tends to do stills and he gets brought in, and Pablo was wonderful and recognized that he was good at it'.

The actress was also grateful to have her sons around to support her because playing opera start Maria Callas was so emotionally exhausting.

She added: 'It really meant a lot that my boys were with me on Maria. When I would have really heavy times, they would come over and just give me a hug or a cup of tea.'

'That was probably one of the more intense things was that - usually when I'm expressing that much pain, it's not in front of my children. You really try to hide from your children how much pain and sadness you carry.'

'And so for them to be with you when you're expressing it at such a level, I think it was the first time they ever heard me cry like that. That's usually for the shower.'

The first trailer for Maria dropped last week. The film opens in the last days of the soprano's life and looks back on all the triumphs and tragedies along the way.

Callas died of a heart attack at her Paris home on September 16, 1977. She was 53.

Angelina said that roles like Callas come along '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.