Angelina Jolie makes first appearance since double mastectomy announcement

Angelina Jolie yesterday stepped out in public for the first time since announcing her double mastectomy, and she said she's been overwhelmed by the support for her decision to have the procedure.

Walking the red carpet at the premiere of partner Brad Pitt's new film "World War Z" in London, Jolie told reporters she felt "great" and "wonderful" and that she is "very, very grateful for all the support."

"It's meant a lot to me," Jolie said. "I've been very happy just to see the discussion about women's health expanded, and that means the world to me."

Jolie, 37, announced she had the surgery in a New York Times op-ed last month, saying she had an 87% chance of developing breast cancer as well as a 50% chance of developing ovarian cancer.

Her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died in 2007 of ovarian cancer.

Pitt yesterday said he was proud of Jolie for her decision to have a mastectomy for the sake of their family.

"When she's faced with a problem -- and we have known this was coming for some time -- she takes it by the horns," Pitt, 49, told reporters.

"I'm super proud of her. She's a bad ass."