Directed by Pablo Larraín, the Salt actress takes on the role of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas in a film that vividly portrays the ups and downs of her tumultuous life.
Jolie, known for her status as a Hollywood A-lister, has recently shared her touching experience of playing an opera singer in the soon-to-be-released film Maria.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Jolie and director Larraín provided an insightful discussion on how they approached the creation of the film and their methods for authentically bringing the opera legend to life on screen.
Jolie confessed in the interview that this role has been the most challenging of her career, as it required her to learn opera singing and perform it live in front of both the camera and an audience.
“It certainly was the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” Angelina Jolie confessed. “When you’re portraying a real person whose life has touched so many, you feel the weight of that responsibility. With this role, I truly felt it every step of the way.”
Director Pablo Larraín shared that he envisioned Jolie for the role from the outset of the project. “When I thought about the immense mystery that surrounded Maria Callas, I immediately thought, Jolie can embody that.’ Angelina came to the set ready to work, just like everyone else. Yet, she naturally possessed the energy and presence that made her the perfect choice to portray someone known as ‘La Diva’ by those around her,” Larraín explained.
When asked about the difficulty of singing for her role in Maria, Angelina Jolie admitted it was overwhelming since she didn’t have an understanding of opera.
She explained, “I initially thought I could just take some singing lessons, and the magic of filmmaking would take care of the rest.
But I soon realized that opera can’t be faked, and I would actually need to learn how to sing.”
However, she acknowledged that director Pablo Larraín was instrumental in supporting her as she tackled the challenge of learning to sing opera.
It’s worth noting that the musical drama Maria is slated for release on Netflix on February 6, 2025.
On the professional front, Jolie’s last appearance was in the 2021 Marvel film Eternals. Now, she is gearing up for a major return to the screen with Maria, marking a significant comeback.
