How Angelina Jolie Relates to Opera Singer Maria Callas: “I Share Her Vulnerability”

Angelina Jolie is experiencing her operatic moment.

The actor made an appearance in Venice, Italy, on Thursday for the world premiere of her latest film, “Maria,” at the Venice International Film Festival. In this biopic, Jolie takes on the role of the legendary Maria Callas, an American-born Greek soprano whose exceptional career spanned from the mid- to late 20th century. Born as Maria Kalogeropoulos in Queens, New York, Callas began her journey in the music industry as a teenager, performing in Athens, Greece.

Jolie shared her deep connection with Callas in an interview with The Associated Press. “I felt such a privilege to feel like I got to know this woman and got to be inside her skin for a moment. I really care for her deeply,” Jolie said. She added, “I think I’ll carry that like a friend.”

By assuming Callas’ persona, Jolie felt a deep personal connection. “When I put her big glasses on and her Greek hair and I sat in my little robe as an older lady, I felt a (Maria) that felt like the private (Maria) that the world didn’t know,” she explained. “And I connected to her first and, and kind of loved her.”

“Maria,” directed by Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, is set in 1977 Paris, during the final days of Callas’ life, which ended abruptly at the age of 53 due to a heart attack. The film’s premiere in Venice completes a trilogy by Larraín, focusing on historic female figures. In 2016, he teamed up with actor Natalie Portman for “Jackie,” portraying former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy during the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Callas had an affair with Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who later left her for Jackie Kennedy. Larraín returned to Venice in 2021 with “Spencer,” featuring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana during a tumultuous time in her marriage to Charles III.

Larraín praised Jolie’s embodiment of Callas, highlighting the ease with which she fit into the role. “There’s something about people like Maria Callas, but also Angelina Jolie — these women have a physical presence on a stage, in front of a camera or even just in a room, and you feel the enormous amount of humanity they carry,” Larrain said in a statement. “There was no struggle for Angie to be Maria Callas and carry that weight, as she already has it.”

Jolie dedicated months to training for the role, working closely with professional opera singers and coaches to capture the essence of Callas’ voice and stage presence. The film features a blend of Jolie’s singing with Callas’ original performances. Practicing challenging Italian operas and arias, often in front of large crews, Jolie’s preparation was intensive. She shared the experience of her first days on set, gradually building her confidence. “My first days, (Larraín) was very good to me in that we started in a more intimate first with very few crew members,” Jolie recalled. “And we ended at La Scala with everyone. So I had a little time to get my nerve. But this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I was terrified.”

Despite the rigorous vocal training, Jolie found personal growth through the process. She described it as “the therapy I didn’t realize I needed.” She further explained, “I had no idea how much I was holding in and not letting out. The challenge wasn’t the technical, it was an emotional experience to find my voice, to be in my body, to express. You have to give every single part of yourself.”

Jolie revealed that her familiarity with opera was limited growing up. “I was more of a punk. I loved all music, but I probably listened to The Clash more than most.” As her life evolved, she found a deeper connection to opera and classical music. “I think when your life is full, when you felt a certain level of despair, of pain, of love, at a certain point, there are only certain sounds that can match that feeling,” she said.

Her poignant reflections resonate with the personal challenges she has faced recently, particularly her ongoing legal battles with ex-husband Brad Pitt. In 2022, Jolie alleged in a 2016 FBI filing that Pitt had physically abused her and their children during a private plane flight. Variety reported allegations that Pitt “choked one of the children and struck another in the face” and also “grabbed Jolie by the head and shook her.” Pitt sued Jolie the same year for selling her portion of their shared French winery without his consent, leading to a countersuit from Jolie about the plane incident.

In April this year, new reports emerged: “While Pitt’s history of physical abuse of Jolie started well before the family’s September 2016 plane trip from France to Los Angeles, this flight marked the first time he turned his physical abuse on the children as well. Jolie then immediately left him.”

When asked how she most closely identifies with Callas, Jolie remarked, “Well, there’s a lot I won’t say in this room, which you probably know or assume.” She elaborated, “The way I related to her, may be a surprise, was probably the part of her that’s extremely soft and doesn’t have room in the world to be as soft as she truly was — as emotionally open as she truly was . . . I share her vulnerability more than anything.”