Angelina Jolie was quick to shut down what she branded an 'insane' question during an interview to help promote her upcoming movie, Maria.
After spending a few years behind the camera rather than in front of it, actor-turned-director Jolie is now returning to the screen to take on the role of Maria Callas, one of the most renowned opera singers of the 20th century.
The movie is set to release on Netflix in the US on December 11, and in cinemas in the UK and Ireland on 10 January, with Jolie helping to promote the flick in a new interview with The Times in which she revealed the role was a 'daunting' one.
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She explained: "Singing opera requires you to be as emotionally open as you possibly can be — it’s not like singing in the car. It’s cathartic. I’ve never pushed myself or opened myself up in that way, that was daunting.”
As women in the spotlight, there are parallels between Callas' life and that of Jolie's as she explained: "I’m a hard worker. And a deeply feeling person. Maria is vulnerable because she feels and isn’t sometimes able to protect herself from the loneliness or emotional pain. Because it’s part of her life and work to be extremely human and live that way.
“You live through your communication with the audience. For Maria and for me that has always been extremely important.”
However, the actor also pointed out the differences she has from the singer.
"Maria didn’t have a family, so her work was everything," she said, adding: "My work is not everything. Being a parent is everything.”
Still, while Jolie might not consider her career to be the be-all and end-all, she has made enough of a mark on Hollywood to prompt the interviewer to ask what it might look like if Maria director Pablo Larraín created a biopic about Jolie.
There have been enough biopics about big stars that one about Jolie wouldn't be out of the question, but the actor isn't so keen.
She responded: “That gets the most insane question award."
She's said to have laughed as she quickly shut down the question, saying: "When you’re a public person and you’re playing her, you’re conscious of how you would hate for somebody to interpret your life or think they understand your life, so we tried to be thoughtful. Let’s hope there isn’t one about my life.”
Larraín also commented on how the creators wanted the movie to be an 'act of respect' to Callas, explaining: “She was a strong woman at a time when that wasn’t really tolerated... she was stoic and strong, she was betrayed but she always stood on her own two feet, trying to do her art until she couldn’t.”
Topics: Angelina Jolie, Netflix, Hollywood, Celebrity
Emily Brown