Angelina Jolie never anticipated mastering every nuance, yet discovering the essence of Maria Callas's breath was sufficient to unlock facets of herself she was unaware she possessed. "We often overlook how our experiences accumulate within us, stored in various parts of our bodies as a means of self-preservation," Jolie revealed in a recent interview. "We harbor them in our stomachs, our chests, and our breathing patterns shift when we feel nervous or sad."
"The initial weeks were incredibly challenging because my body needed to unclench and relearn how to breathe," she continued. "It was a revelation of how much I had压抑myself."
In Pablo Larraín's "Maria," a film released in theaters by Netflix on Wednesday before its streaming debut on December 11th, Jolie delivers a performance that, while perhaps not the pinnacle of her career, certainly stands as a highlight of the past decade. Since her directorial debut in 2010's "In the Land of Blood and Honey," Jolie has balanced helming films with the priority of raising her six children.
"For quite some time, my choices were dictated by financial prudence and brevity. I barely worked over the last eight years," Jolie admitted. "I felt exhausted. I couldn't, for a while."
Now, with her youngest children reaching 16, Jolie has returned to the limelight, embodying the full essence of a movie star once again. Her powerful portrayal in "Maria" promises to secure her a third Oscar nomination. (She previously won Best Supporting Actress in 2000 for "Girl, Interrupted.") For an actress whose filmography might lack a definitive masterpiece, "Maria" could very well be Jolie's defining role.
On the set of the film, Jolie's eldest children, Maddox and Pax, witnessed a side of their mother they hadn't seen before. "They've seen me sad before, but I don't usually cry in front of them like that," Jolie said, referring to the intense emotions Maria Callas evoked in her. "It was a moment of realization for them, standing alongside me as we delved into the profound depths of some of the pain I carry."
Jolie, who crossed paths with a reporter at the Carlyle Hotel earlier this autumn, refrained from elaborating on the depths of her pain. Yet, it was almost impossible to overlook the暗示 that her lingering and protracted divorce from Brad Pitt, with whom she shares six children, played a significant role. Just before their encounter, a judicial ruling had paved the way for Pitt's remaining claim against Jolie, pertaining to the French vineyard Château Miraval, to move forward. On Monday, a judge mandated Pitt to disclose documents sought by Jolie's legal team, which they alleged contained "communications pertaining to abuse." Pitt has steadfastly denied any instances of abusiveness.
The outcome of the U.S. presidential election had barely settled in, yet Jolie, who served as a Special Envoy for the United Nations Refugee Agency from 2012 to 2022, demurred from delving into political discourse. When queried about Donald Trump's victory, she replied, "Global storytelling is paramount," before emphasizing, "That is my focal point. Listening. Listening intently to the voices of my compatriots and those across the globe."
Navigating the intricate balance between such personal revelations and the relentless inquiries that accompany her celebrity status, Jolie embodies the role of Callas with remarkable aptitude. The film unfolds during the final days of the American-born soprano, who passed away from a heart attack at the age of 53 in 1977. Confined within the grandeur of her Parisian apartment, Callas had refrained from public performances for years; her voice had abandoned her. Shackled by the myth she herself had crafted, Callas embarked on a journey to redefine herself and her vocal essence. An instructor told her he longed to hear "Callas, not Maria." Naturally, the movie's lens is more attuned to Maria.
This marks Larrain's third portrayal of a 20th-century female icon, following "Jackie" (featuring Natalie Portman as Jacqueline Kennedy) and "Spencer" (with Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana). As Callas, Jolie radiates an aura of regal splendor—a self-assured diva who, through the pen of screenwriter Steven Knight, delivers lines with relish such as: "I took liberties throughout my life, and the world too took liberties with me."
When asked whether she resonated with that particular line, Jolie replied, "Yeah, yeah," and then paused thoughtfully for an extended moment. "I'm certain people will interpret this in numerous ways and there's much I could expound upon, but I don't wish to contribute fuel to the fire," she eventually continued. "Maria Callas was a public figure because she cherished her work. Similarly, I'm in the public eye because I adore mine, not out of a fondness for publicity. I believe some individuals find comfort in a life of exposure, whereas I've never truly felt at ease with it."
When Larraín initially approached Jolie about portraying this role, he screened "Spencer" for her. Like "Jackie" and "Maria," this film avoids the conventional biographical narrative, instead intimately capturing a pivotal moment of crisis. Larraín was convinced that Jolie was the perfect fit for the role. "I sensed she possessed that magnetic charm," Larraín remarks. "She embodies the enigmatic diva who has reached a juncture in her life where she must reclaim control. The burden of her experiences, her music, her singing, and everything else she's carried, weighs heavily on her shoulders. Yet, she bears it with grace. She's a person whose life has been marked by intense experiences."
"There's a solitude that we both share," Jolie reflects. "And that's not inherently negative. I believe people can be alone and feel lonely at times, and that can be an integral part of their identity." Larraín, the Chilean filmmaker who grew up attending the opera in Santiago, has long harbored a desire to bring its grandeur and majesty to the silver screen. In Callas's voice, he heard something that captivated him.
"I hear something approaching perfection, yet it's also on the brink of collapse," Larraín explains. "It's as fragile as it is robust. It resides in both extremes, which is why it's so profoundly moving. I hear a voice that's nearly shattered, yet it holds steadfast." In the film's scenes where Callas's singing isn't perfect, Larraín blends archival recordings of Callas with Jolie's own vocalizations. This amalgamation permeates "Maria." "Early on in the process," Jolie admits, "I discovered that faking an opera singing performance is impossible."
Jolie has stated that she never sang before, even karaoke. However, this experience has fostered a newfound admiration for opera and its therapeutic qualities. "I ponder if it's something one gravitates towards as they age," Jolie says. "Perhaps as the depth of one's pain and loss intensifies, that sound in opera resonates with it, embracing its vastness." If Larraín's methodology for "Maria" hinges on a sense of unawareness, he倾向于 to say something akin about his leading lady.
"Due to media and social media, some people might think they know a lot about Angelina," he comments. "I read nine biographies of Maria, watched everything, read every interview, and made this movie. Yet, I don't believe I could tell you who she was in essence. So, if there's a common thread, it's that they carry an immense amount of mystery. Even if you feel you know them, you don't truly." As for whether "Maria" will signify more acting endeavors for Jolie in the future, she remains uncertain. "There's no definitive path," she says. Moreover, Jolie isn't quite ready to detach herself from Callas.
"When you portray a real person, at some point, they feel like a friend," Jolie reveals. "Right now, it's still quite personal. It's amusing; I'll be at a premiere or enter a room, and someone will start playing her music for fun. But I have this vivid internal memory of dropping to my knees and weeping."
