Angelina Jolie and Pablo Larraín Discuss ‘Maria,’ Opera Singing, and Fame

On Sunday, less than 24 hours after the Telluride Film Festival’s North American premiere of Maria, a drama about the rollercoaster life of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas, The Hollywood Reporter sat down with its star, Angelina Jolie, and director, Pablo Larraín, for a wide-ranging conversation.

Jolie said of playing Callas, in a performance for which she is generating white-hot best actress Oscar buzz, “It certainly was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” Why? On the most literal level, the Girl, Interrupted Oscar winner had to learn how to sing opera and then do so in front of others live and on camera (her voice was ultimately blended with Callas’s in the final product). But beyond that, she clearly feels a personal bond with “La Divina,” who died in 1977, the age of 53, when Jolie was just two.

Both, Jolie acknowledged, could be described as world-famous performers — “icons,” as Larraín puts it — to whom the public and critics weren’t always kind, and whose relationships were often dissected by strangers, which took a major toll on them. But, she emphasized, “Where we really connect is in our dedication to our work, our vulnerability, our loneliness and our love of communicating with an audience.”

Asked about her experience at Telluride, Jolie remarked on the warmth among the people, including the press. “It’s such a relaxed environment for everybody to be in, and there’s so much time to see each other’s work and support each other’s projects,” she said. Larraín agreed, noting the difference in rhythm from Venice, where they had their world premiere. “It’s so relaxed here, and people are really into the movies. Everyone’s seeing two or three films a day, at least,” he observed.

When queried about the audience reactions to Maria, Larraín said, “I like it when people take the film in the way that we felt it and did it — that it’s not entirely rational, it’s more in an emotional space, which is what music is.” He added that the aim of the film was to evoke the emotional experience that Callas brought to the operatic world.

Jolie mentioned that she never reads reviews, good or bad, but is informed by people she trusts. “We just put this out, and I’m so emotionally connected to it that it means a lot for people to be kind or open to it,” she said.

Reflecting on why she is so emotionally connected to this film, Jolie confessed, “It certainly was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. Anytime you’re playing a real person whose life has meant so much to people, you think of that individual and you carry that responsibility.”

Larraín was asked if he sees his last three movies — 2016’s Jackie, 2021’s Spencer, and now Maria — as a trilogy. He responded that it wasn’t planned, but there are connections, as all three women were significant icons of the 20th century who dealt with strong relationships and found their own identity.

Answering a question about casting Jolie, Larraín said, “When I thought about the enormous mystery that Maria Callas had, I thought, ‘She [Jolie] can do that.’” He emphasized that Jolie’s discipline and work ethic on set were crucial for the role.

Jolie admitted feeling initially daunted by the challenge of singing opera. “I was naive enough to think that I was just going to take singing classes and we would somehow do the magic of movies and make it through. Then it became very clear to me that you really can’t fake opera, and that I was going to actually have to learn how to sing,” she explained.

Larraín detailed the technical process of blending Jolie’s voice with Callas’s. “First, she [Jolie] learned how to stand, posture, breathing, then the accent of the words that she was singing, mostly in Italian — and then just sang it over and over again,” he said. He credited sound expert John Warhurst for the blending process, which involved capturing Jolie’s voice to include her breathing and emotion.

Discussing the ways she relates to Callas, Jolie said, “I think the truth is where we really connect is in our dedication to our work, our vulnerability, our loneliness, and our love of communicating with an audience.”

On the topic of watching her own films, Jolie mentioned that she rarely does so. “I love the experience of creating; I don’t necessarily like the experience of watching my own work,” she said, adding that she does enjoy knowing if the audience connected with her performance.

Larraín concluded by highlighting the film’s broader mission. “Opera started in the 16th century as a folkloric event for the masses. Over the years, it became more elitist, but Maria Callas brought it back to the people. If this movie can make anyone interested in opera, we will have succeeded in a very beautiful way,” he said.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter