Angelina Jolie on 'Maria': An 'honour' and a 'head trip' to voice a legend

Angelina Jolie is set to portray the iconic opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larrain's upcoming biographical psychological drama film, 'Maria'. In a recent conversation, the acclaimed actress shared her thoughts on taking on this challenging role and the unique experience of lending her voice to the film. Directed by Larrain and written by Steven Knight, 'Maria', which premiered at the Venice Film Festival last year acclaimed widespread praise for Jolie's performance.
'Her voice and her art are very present': Angelina JolieJolie acknowledged the immense undertaking of portraying such a legendary figure. She explained, “Well, the good news about playing Maria Callas is nobody expects you to sing Maria Callas because nobody in the world can sing Maria Callas, right? Nobody at her time could match her, and it would be a crime to not have her voice through this, because in many ways, she is very present in this film. Her voice and her art are very present. She’s the partner in this film with me; she and I are doing this together. It was an honor and sometimes a bit of a head trip to be me playing her and us playing a third person on stage,” she said in an interview with Hindustan Times. Sharing her experiences of portraying such a big performer, she said, “As an actor, I wasn’t doing my performance of say, Anna Bolena, but Maria’s. It was me trying to understand why she made those performance choices. I’ve never played a performer before. As I would learn of her choices, I just became more of a fan of her work. She was also a brilliant actor.” Director Pablo Larraín's guidance was also crucial, the actress added.
'Maria' is the final installment in his trilogy of films centered on significant female historical figures, following 'Jackie', starring Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy and 'Spencer' starring Kristen Stewart as Diana.
Angelina Jolie on Unique and unusual Script Construction
Reflecting on her collaboration with Pablo Larraín, Angelina Jolie reminisced, "I met Pablo Larraín many years ago and told him how much I respected him as a filmmaker and hoped to work with him one day." She noted that his approach to casting 'Maria' was meticulous, a quality she deeply appreciated. "He really wants to make sure the artist is up for it and understands the job," Jolie explained. Expressing her admiration for the writer, she added, "I’m also a huge fan of writer Steven Knight’s work; it’s a very unusual script and construction. There’s a lot of bravery in the choices they’ve made in their storytelling."
For Jolie, the opportunity to portray the legendary opera singer was more than just a role. "It wasn’t just an opportunity to tell the story of Maria Callas, a woman I find interesting and care for, but it’s really to have a director who’s going to take you on a journey and is so serious about the work and tough on you. I like that he was tough on me! He’s a dream director, and I would want to work with him again and again." She also highlighted a personal gain from the experience, stating, "Also, I learned such a lot as a director myself, from watching him work.”
About The Film:The film 'Maria' delves into Callas's life during her final years in the 1970s, as she retreats to Paris after years in the intense public eye. The film also features a talented supporting cast including Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, and Kodi Smit-McPhee. The film is scheduled on Lionsgate Play on May 9.