August 29th 2024.
It's been three long years since Angelina Jolie graced the big screen, and during that time, her personal life has been the subject of much media scrutiny due to her highly publicized and tumultuous divorce from Brad Pitt. But now, she's finally returned with a bang, taking on the challenging role of world-renowned opera diva Maria Callas – a role that not only requires her acting skills, but also her singing abilities, despite her lack of experience in the field (she's never even done karaoke before!).
Jolie's previous film, Marvel's Eternals, may have generated a lot of hype, but it ultimately failed to impress at the box office. However, she did find success with her previous big films, Maleficent and its sequel for Disney, where she gave a powerful and emotional portrayal of the infamous Sleeping Beauty villain. With Maria, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival today, it seems like Jolie is back to her roots as an artist and actress, especially considering that she won an Academy Award over two decades ago for her role in Girl, Interrupted.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria is the final installment in the Chilean filmmaker's trilogy about iconic women, following his previous works Jackie (about Jackie Kennedy) and Spencer (about Princess Diana). Both films earned their leading ladies – Natalie Portman and Kristen Stewart, respectively – nominations for the prestigious Academy Award for Best Actress. With this in mind, it's safe to say that Jolie has her sights set on a similar achievement, even though she gracefully avoided the question about it during the Venice Maria press conference.
During the conference, Jolie shared her fears about taking on the role of Maria Callas, stating that she's more concerned about disappointing the fans of the iconic opera singer and her legacy than receiving personal recognition for her performance. And let us tell you, she has nothing to worry about. As the film's synopsis explains, Maria tells the story of Callas' tumultuous and tragic life, set during her final days in 1970s Paris. So far, the public has only been treated to a brief clip of Jolie as "La Callas" arguing with her long-time butler (played by Pierfrancesco Favino) about her medication and doctor visits. It's just a taste of what's to come, but in terms of Jolie's performance, it doesn't reveal much.
In the full movie, which runs for just over two hours and has already been acquired by Netflix in the US, Jolie's performance is subtle yet controlled. With more screen time to showcase her talents, Jolie's restrained portrayal of Callas is truly captivating. She portrays the diva as someone who is harder on herself than anyone else, constantly striving for perfection despite the loss of her once-in-a-generation voice and her struggles with pill addiction (cleverly personified by actor Kodi Smitt-McPhee).
Of course, it's a daunting task for any actor to replicate the talent and presence of such an iconic figure, especially when you're not a confident singer – something Jolie confirmed about herself. However, she didn't let that stop her. She spent seven months training for the role, and according to Jolie, her director Pablo Larraín demanded nothing less. She even shared a funny anecdote about her first time singing with her sons present, revealing that they had to lock the door to prevent anyone else from coming in. But despite her nerves, her hard work paid off, and she delivered a stunning performance.
Larraín also revealed that during their months of preparation, he had Jolie focus on her breathing, posture, and lyrics, as the movie features many well-known and beloved arias from operas such as Anna Bolena, Carmen, La traviata, and I puritani. In terms of physical transformation, Jolie opted not to use obvious facial prosthetics to resemble Callas, as other actors have faced criticism for doing in the past. Instead, she relied on her acting skills to convey the essence of the legendary singer, and it's safe to say that she succeeded. Despite her fame and recognizability, it may take a moment to adjust to Jolie as Callas, but once you do, she delivers a masterclass performance that reminds us why she's one of the most famous actresses in the world.
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