Angelina Jolie was visibly emotional at the Venice Film Festival after her upcoming film Maria received an eight-minute standing ovation. Photos and videos from the event, shared widely on social media, captured the actress wiping away tears.
For the Thursday evening event, Angelina donned a custom-made beige gown by Tamara Ralph, paired with a fur stole. When she became emotional, her Maria co-star Pierfrancesco Favino offered comfort, with Angelina Jolie briefly resting her head on his shoulder. Director Pablo Larrain also assisted her as she ascended the stairs, and Angelina Jolie graciously bowed to the audience.
In Maria, directed by Pablo Larrain, Angelina Jolie steps into the role of the legendary opera singer Maria Callas. The film focuses on the final week of Callas's life in 1977, depicting her isolated existence in Paris. During this time, only her butler, played by Pierfrancesco Favino, and her housemaid, portrayed by Alba Rohrwacher, care for her, worried about her declining health and the devastating impact of her lost voice. While the film is set to release on Netflix, the release date has not yet been announced.
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In an interview with The Associated Press recently, Angelina Jolie expressed her deep connection with the character, saying, "I felt such a privilege to feel like I got to know this woman and got to be inside her skin a moment. I really care for her deeply. I think I’ll carry that like a friend." She reflected on her transformation into Maria Callas, noting, "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. And I connected to her first and, and kind of loved her."
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Angelina Jolie spent nearly seven months preparing for the role, which included extensive vocal training. The film features a blend of Angelina Jolie's voice and recordings of Callas's performances. Recalling her initial days on set, Angelina Jolie shared, "My first days, [Larrain] was very good to me in that we started in a more intimate first with very few crew members. 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."
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