Angelina Jolie and ‘Maria’ Director Pablo Larraín on Capturing the Diva’s Operatic Life: ‘Her Destiny Was Her Tragedy. But There’s So Much Beauty There’
variety.comClayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Angelina Jolie received a thunderous, eight-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival following the world premiere of Pablo Larraín’s “Maria.” The reception moved the Oscar-winning actress to tears and left her contemplating the legacy of Maria Callas, the opera diva she brings so thrillingly to life on screen. “I thought about her a lot in that moment,” Jolie said during an interview at the Telluride Film Festival, where “Maria” screened last week. “It’s strange when you feel so close to this real human being.
I know that applause was for her life. Often, we don’t, as artists, know if our work resonates, or we don’t expect kindness.
You walk out expecting not to be supported or not to connect. But ‘Maria’ did.” “Maria” is part of Larraín’s trilogy of iconic, often misunderstood women, one that began with “Jackie” (2016), starring Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy, and “Spencer” (2021), which featured Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana.
Both actresses were nominated for Oscars for their turns, and Jolie seems likely to continue the streak given the rapturous reviews she’s earned.
Read more on variety.com
