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Angelina Jolie, a legendary actress, continues to captivate audiences through her eclectic career, her humanitarian work, and her personal life marked by hardship. At 49, she shines once again portraying Maria Callas in Maria, Pablo Larraín’s latest film. This demanding role, celebrating one of opera’s most iconic figures, highlights Jolie’s exceptional talent. But beyond the artistic performance, this film reveals a fascinating parallel between two fates marked by light and shadow.
Video unavailableA Masterful Performance for a Complex Character
In Maria, Angelina Jolie portrays a reclusive Maria Callas in Paris, isolated after years of fame and turmoil. The film explores the Greek diva’s final days, offering a poignant dive into her world marked by artistic triumphs and crushing loneliness. Critics agree that Jolie delivers an exceptional performance, one of the most accomplished of her career.
To prepare, the actress took on unprecedented challenges. She immersed herself in the demanding world of opera, learning classical singing and perfecting her Italian. This immersion, according to her, was "cathartic", an experience that allowed her to explore her own vulnerability while doing justice to a woman of rare complexity.
Two Fates Bound by Fame and Wounds
Angelina Jolie has often compared her life to Maria Callas’s in interviews, such as the one she gave to Laurent Delahousse on France 2’s 8 p.m. news. Both women knew fame, but also the sacrifices it demands. For Callas, the demands of the opera world and difficult relationships, especially with her mother, left indelible marks. For Jolie, it was her childhood shaped by early responsibilities and family tragedies that formed her character.
The actress speaks emotionally about the invisible wounds hidden by the spotlight. She shares a genuine empathy with Callas, a woman whose voice transcended time but who suffered deeply in her personal life. In Callas Forever, the French-Italian film directed by Franco Zeffirelli in 2001, the elegant Fanny Ardant did not move us nearly as much…
An Actress, But Above All, a Mother
Despite her status as a global star, Angelina Jolie defines herself first and foremost as a mother. Her six children—Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and the twins Knox and Vivienne—occupy a central place in her life. Balancing her professional commitments and her role as a parent is a priority for the actress.
In a recent interview, she said she was concerned about protecting her children, especially Shiloh, from media pressure and the hyperconnected world. This vigilance reflects the deep love she has for them and her desire to give them a balanced life, far from Hollywood’s turmoil.
A Solitary But Resilient Woman
Since her highly publicized divorce from Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie has learned to live with solitude. While she admits to feeling lonely at times, she focuses on what matters most to her: her children and her work. "I don’t mind solitude. Being a good mother is my priority," she said simply.
This resilience, combined with rare sensitivity, reinforces her status as an icon. Through her role choices and humanitarian commitments, she continues to inspire millions of people.
An Unconventional Actress in Service of Art
With Maria, Angelina Jolie pays a moving tribute to Maria Callas. The film celebrates not only an opera icon, but also the actress herself, who puts her immense talent at the service of this tragic figure. By bringing together these two extraordinary destinies, Pablo Larraín offers a timeless work that touches the heart.
At 49, Jolie reaffirms her status as a modern icon, capable of transcending the screen to capture the human soul in all its complexity. Maria promises to mark a turning point in her career and to illustrate, once again, why she remains an essential figure in cinema and global culture.