Angelina Jolie 'was frightened' and 'shaky' singing in public for the FIRST time in Maria Callas biopic and reveals how her sons helped get her through it
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- Published on Friday, 30 August 2024 06:53
- Written by Daily mail
Angelina Jolie had never sung onscreen - or in public - before she signed on to star as the legendary opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín's biopic Maria, which had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on Thursday.'Everybody here knows, I was terribly nervous,' the 49-year-old Oscar winner told reporters at a press conference.'I spent almost seven months training because when you work with Pablo you can't do anything by half. He demands, in the most wonderful way, that you really do the work and you really learn and train.' Angelina enlisted vocal coach Eric Vetro - whose clients include Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, John Legend, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Rosalía, and Charlie Puth.'My first time singing I remember being so nervous. My sons were there and they helped lock the door so that nobody else was coming in, and I was shaky. I was frightened,' described Jolie - who's mother to Maddox, 23; Pax, 20; and Knox, 16. 'Pablo, in his decency, started me in a small room and ended me in [the Paris opera house] La Scala. So he gave me time to grow.' The former Hollywood wild child - who grew up listening to The Clash - said her biggest 'fear' would be to 'disappoint' the ardent fanbase of Maria: 'I really came to care for her, so I didn't want to do a disservice to this woman.' And while the film is mostly set in the seventies, Angelina appears to recreate Callas' (born Kalogeropoulos) 1958 performance at a Paris gala, which was broadcast through Eurovision. The New York-born Greek belter's powerful soprano pipes had three distinct registers and measured just short of three octaves, and she performed her final concert in 1965 following a vocal decline blamed on everything from dermatomyositis, to early onset menopause, to her extreme 80lb weight loss in 1954. Maria - who had an affair with Aristotle Onassis while he was married to former FLOTUS Jacqueline Kennedy - spent her last 11 years living in Paris after renouncing her American citizenship, and she died at age 53, from a heart attack in 1977. The movie depicts Callas rehearsing for an imagined performance that never comes to be as a camera crew led by Stranger Things star Kodi Smit-McPhee films her. In the first clip of Maria, released Thursday, the operatic diva worries her butler Ferruccio (Pierfrancesco Favino) over ignoring her blood doctor's order and medication recommendations as she was 'controlling' her use of the hypnotic sedative, methaqualone. 'And when I write my autobiography I will title it The Day Ferruccio Saved My Life,' Maria said.'And what day was that?' Ferruccio asked. 'Every day. Every single day. It's why I hate you. I fall into a river and you always fish me out,' Callas quipped.Two-time Oscar-nominated prosthetics designer Arjen Tuiten was hired to transform Jolie's face, but she still appears to have her own tiny nose rather than the characteristically large one Maria had in real life.On Wednesday, Netflix bought the US distribution rights, but a release date has yet to be announced for Maria, which is in competition for Venice's Golden Lion prize.Maria is the third and final film in the 48-year-old Chilean filmmaker's trilogy of iconic women, succeeding Jackie (2016) and Spencer (2021), which scored both Natalie Portman and Kristen Stewart Oscar nods. The ensemble cast also includes Valeria Golino, Haluk Bilginer, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino, and Alessandro Bressanello.It marks the Tony-winning producer's first acting role since Chloé Zhao's dismally-reviewed 2021 MCU flick Eternals.Angelina will next be honored with the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media on September 8 at the Toronto International Film Festival - the same day as the world premiere of her fifth feature directorial effort Without Blood starring Salma Hayek.
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source : Daily mail 
Angelina Jolie kneels down to meet a fan with ALS during heartwarming moment at the Venice Film Festival in Italy
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- Published on Friday, 30 August 2024 06:47
- Written by Daily mail
Angelina Jolie shared a tender moment with a fan while promoting her upcoming biopic Maria at the 81st Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy on Thursday. The Girl, Interrupted star, 49, knelt down in her stunning champagne gown while meeting a bed-ridden fan with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).Before entering Sala Grande for the world premiere of her film, the actress took a moment to speak with her supporter, sweetly placing her hand on his shoulder.ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, which control the muscles that allow us to move, speak, swallow, and breathe.Jolie looked stunning in an elegant floor-length evening gown with off-the-shoulder detailing as she greeted photographers on day two of this year's festival. The actress, currently in the throes of a protracted divorce from Brad Pitt, made a welcome red carpet appearance ahead of the film's first official screening, in competition, at the annual ceremony.The stunning stone chiffon gown, designed exclusively for the actress by designer and couture house Tamara Ralph, featured draped detailing and a short train, with the number finished off with an elegant, fluffy faux-fur stole and a gold floral pin.The star left her sleek golden locks to fall over her shoulders, while highlighted her features with a classic smoky eye and a statement red lip.The star's latest film, titled Maria, is a biographical drama about the legendary opera singer Maria Callas.It is directed by Pablo Larraín and produced by Fremantle.It stars Angelina in the title role, with Valeria Golino as her sister Yakinthi, and Haluk Bilginer as Aristotle Onassis.'I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria's life and legacy,' Angelina said previously in a statement. 'I will give all I can to meet the challenge.' The Tomb Raider star also mentioned the film's director, Pablo, whom she said she 'long admired.'The mother of six added: 'To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria's story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.'Angelina had never sung onscreen - or in public - before she signed on to star as the legendary opera singer.'Everybody here knows, I was terribly nervous,' the Oscar winner told reporters at a press conference.'I spent almost seven months training because when you work with Pablo you can't do anything by half. He demands, in the most wonderful way, that you really do the work and you really learn and train.'
Angelina enlisted vocal coach Eric Vetro - whose clients include Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, John Legend, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Rosalía, and Charlie Puth.'My first time singing I remember being so nervous. My sons were there and they helped lock the door so that nobody else was coming in, and I was shaky. I was frightened,' described Jolie - who's mother to Maddox, 23; Pax, 20; and Knox, 16.'Pablo, in his decency, started me in a small room and ended me in [the Paris opera house] La Scala. So he gave me time to grow.'The former Hollywood wild child - who grew up listening to The Clash - said her biggest 'fear' would be to 'disappoint' the ardent fanbase of Maria: 'I really came to care for her, so I didn't want to do a disservice to this woman.'And while the film is mostly set in the seventies, Angelina appears to recreate Callas' (born Kalogeropoulos) 1958 performance at a Paris gala, which was broadcast through Eurovision.The New York-born Greek belter's powerful soprano pipes had three distinct registers and measured just short of three octaves, and she performed her final concert in 1965 following a vocal decline blamed on everything from dermatomyositis, to early onset menopause, to her extreme 80lb weight loss in 1954.Maria - who had an affair with Aristotle Onassis while he was married to former FLOTUS Jacqueline Kennedy - spent her last 11 years living in Paris after renouncing her American citizenship, and she died at age 53, from a heart attack in 1977.Angelina is lucky enough to wear some of Callas' real clothes in the film, including vintage fur items from Massimo Cantini Parrini’s archive collection.The actress has played famous people before: In 1998 she starred as tragic supermodel Gia Carangi in Gia and in 2007 she starred as Mariana Pearl in the film A Mighty Heart.The director, who is best known for the bio pictures Jackie (about Jackie Kennedy, played by Natalie Portman) and Spencer (about Princess Diana, played by Kristen Stewart), said: 'Having the chance to combine my two most deep and personal passions, cinema and opera, has been a long-awaited dream.''To do this with Angelina, a supremely brave and curious artist, is a fascinating opportunity. A true gift.'Maria was written by Steven Knight prior to Hollywood’s WGA strike and granted a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement.Callas was born in American of Greek heritage and then trained in Greece as well as Italy.She was not just known for her incredible voice, which helped make her one of the top opera singers of the 20th century, but also for her striking beauty which put a spotlight on her many romances.Callas was also known for her fierce rivalry with Italian opera singer Renata Tebaldi.The film will cover her life story and finish with her sad death in Paris after suffering from vision problems that left her almost blind.Starring in a movie about Callas was a passion project for Faye Dunaway who even wanted to use her own money for the film, but it never came off the ground.In 2014, Meryl Streep was reportedly set to play Callas in Master Class with Mike Nichols as her director but the project did not come to be.Angelina will next be honored with the TIFF Tribute Award in Impact Media on September 8 at the Toronto International Film Festival - the same day as the world premiere of her fifth feature directorial effort Without Blood starring Salma Hayek.
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source : Daily mail
Angelina Jolie brings the glamour in a brown chiffon dress as she arrives for the Venice Film Festival ahead of her Maria premiere
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- Published on Friday, 30 August 2024 06:48
- Written by Daily mail
Angelina Jolie looked every inch the leading lady as she arrived at the Hotel Excelsior by boat for the Venice Film Festival on Thursday. The Hollywood actress, 49, is in the city to promote her latest film, Maria, which will premiere on Thursday evening.Angelina looked effortlessly demure in a brown chiffon gown from Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello which had intricate criss cross stitching in the shape of a diamond across the waist. She complemented the look with matching heels and donned a pair of sunglasses as she emerged from her boat, waving to fans. Angelia flew into Venice earlier this week ahead of the premiere for Maria, which is an upcoming biographical drama film about opera singer Maria Calla.It is directed by Pablo Larraín and produced by Fremantle.It stars Angelina in the title role, with Valeria Golino as her sister Yakinthi, and Haluk Bilginer as Aristotle Onassis. 'I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria's life and legacy,' Angelina said previously in a statement. 'I will give all I can to meet the challenge.' The Tomb Raider star also mentioned the film's director, Pablo, whom she said she 'long admired.'The mother of six added: 'To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria's story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.'Angelina is lucky enough to wear some of Callas' real clothes in the film, including vintage fur items from Massimo Cantini Parrini’s archive collection. The actress has played famous people before: In 1998 she starred as tragic supermodel Gia Carangi in Gia and in 2007 she starred as Mariana Pearl in the film A Mighty Heart.The director, who is best known for the bio pictures Jackie (about Jackie Kennedy, played by Natalie Portman) and Spencer (about Princess Diana, played by Kristen Stewart), said: 'Having the chance to combine my two most deep and personal passions, cinema and opera, has been a long-awaited dream,' Larraín said. 'To do this with Angelina, a supremely brave and curious artist, is a fascinating opportunity. A true gift.'Maria was written by Steven Knight prior to Hollywood’s WGA strike and granted a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement.Callas lived from 1923 until 1977. She was born in American of Greek heritage and then trained in Greece as well as Italy.She was not just known for her incredible voice, which helped make her one of the top opera singers of the 20th century, but also for her striking beauty which put a spotlight on her many romances.Callas was also known for her fierce rivalry with Italian opera singer Renata Tebaldi.The film will cover her life story and finish with her sad death in Paris after suffering from vision problems that left her almost blind.Starring in a movie about Callas was a passion project for Faye Dunaway who even wanted to use her own money for the film, but it never came off the ground.In 2014, Meryl Streep was reportedly set to play Callas in Master Class with Mike Nichols as her director but the project did not come to be.
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source : Daily mail
Angelina Jolie breaks down in tears amid Brad Pitt divorce war as she is overwhelmed by epic standing ovation at Venice Film Festival
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- Published on Friday, 30 August 2024 06:51
- Written by Daily mail
Angelina Jolie was moved to tears after receiving an eight-minute standing ovation at the premiere of her biopic Maria at Venice Film Festival in Italy on Thursday. The Changeling star, 49, looked visibly emotional and was seen wiping away tears after the audience at Sala Grande stood up to applaud her.In another touching display the actress — who plays the legendary opera singer Maria Callas in the film — momentarily covered her mouth with her hand. Jolie, who's currently in the throes of a protracted divorce from Brad Pitt, 60, was pictured being escorted down the stairs by Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, 48, as the crowd continued to clap for her.She spoke about the project during a press conference held Thursday afternoon before the screening, and revealed that she spent approximately seven months preparing for the demanding role. She worked with opera singers and coaches to master the correct posture, breathing, and movement techniques.She added that immersing herself in the world of opera provided 'therapy I didn't know I needed.''I had no idea how much I was holding in and not letting out. So 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.'She also shared that the part of Callas she most related to was '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.'Earlier on the red carpet, Angelina managed to smile, despite recently hinting at the heavy emotional toll which her divorce from Pitt has taken on her, saying she has been through 'despair' and 'pain.'The beauty split from her film star husband after a disputed incident on a plane in 2016.She has said in court documents that he assaulted her and some of their six children and poured wine and beer on the family in a rage. He has always denied being violent towards her or the family.When asked about her musical tastes Angelina said: 'I was more of a punk and I loved all music but I probably listened to The Clash more than most.' 'As I have gotten older I have listened to classical music and opera. I think I still love the music I did when I was younger, I would still listen to The Clash.'But I think when you have felt a certain level of despair, of pain, of love at a certain point there are only certain sounds that can match that feeling and to me the immensity of the feeling encapsulated in the sounds of opera - there is nothing like it.'That feeling that would move all of us if we were to hear it would be the only sound that would explain that pain, so I have leant more towards it now.'
The couple's split has also affected their six children. Earlier this month their daughter Shiloh, 18, legally dropped her father's surname.Shiloh, who hired and paid for her own lawyer when she filed to drop the Pitt name on her 18th birthday in May, filed to change her name from Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt to Shiloh Nouvel Jolie.There have been long custody battles which ended eventually in a victory for Pitt, who got 50-50 custody in 2021 only to have it overturned on appeal.The current situation has seen the children - Maddox, 22, Pax, 20, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, and Knox and Vivienne, 16 - form a tight group of seven with his former wife.This comes amid recent claims that Pitt and Jolie's divorce - which has now dragged on for eight years - is still ongoing as neither of the stars can 'let it go.'A source told People 'their disagreements took over' in the relationship, adding that things 'turned nasty and it was not a good situation for anyone.''All the bitterness is partly why the divorce has dragged on for so many years. Neither will let it go. You’d think they would be over it and just settle.' Another source of recent stress for the actress has been her son Pax's terrifying bike crash, which left him hospitalized.Pax was released from ICU earlier this month, after being treated for crashing his electric bike into the back of a car stopped for a red light on Los Feliz Boulevard in Los Angeles on July 29.He now begins the long road of recovery and physical therapy - and Angelina has been there every step of the way.Meanwhile Brad reportedly feels completely helpless his son is still refusing to have any contact with him as he recovers.According to sources, Pax 'doesn't want any well wishes' from his 'distraught dad' Brad even though the 'heartbroken' Hollywood actor is determined to help out in any way possible.An insider exclusively told DailyMail.com that Brad also wishes his family dynamic wasn't divided and that he wasn't getting 'radio silence' about his son's health.
Angelina's latest film is a biographical drama. It stars Angelina in the title role as Maria, with Valeria Golino as her sister Yakinthi, and Haluk Bilginer as Aristotle Onassis.'I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria's life and legacy,' Angelina said previously in a statement. 'I will give all I can to meet the challenge.'The Tomb Raider star also mentioned the film's director, Pablo, whom she said she 'long admired.' The mother of six added: 'To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria's story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.'Angelina had never sung onscreen - or in public - before she signed on to star as the legendary opera singer.'Everybody here knows, I was terribly nervous,' the Oscar winner told reporters at a press conference.'I spent almost seven months training because when you work with Pablo you can't do anything by half. He demands, in the most wonderful way, that you really do the work and you really learn and train.'Angelina enlisted vocal coach Eric Vetro - whose clients include Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, John Legend, Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Rosalía, and Charlie Puth.'My first time singing I remember being so nervous. My sons were there and they helped lock the door so that nobody else was coming in, and I was shaky. I was frightened,' described Jolie.'Pablo, in his decency, started me in a small room and ended me in [the Paris opera house] La Scala. So he gave me time to grow.'The former Hollywood wild child said her biggest 'fear' would be to 'disappoint' the ardent fanbase of Maria: 'I really came to care for her, so I didn't want to do a disservice to this woman.'And while the film is mostly set in the seventies, Angelina appears to recreate Callas' (born Kalogeropoulos) 1958 performance at a Paris gala, which was broadcast through Eurovision.The New York-born Greek belter's powerful soprano pipes had three distinct registers and measured just short of three octaves, and she performed her final concert in 1965 following a vocal decline blamed on everything from dermatomyositis, to early onset menopause, to her extreme 80lb weight loss in 1954. Maria - who had an affair with Aristotle Onassis while he was married to former FLOTUS Jacqueline Kennedy - spent her last 11 years living in Paris after renouncing her American citizenship, and she died at age 53, from a heart attack in 1977.Angelina is lucky enough to wear some of Callas' real clothes in the film, including vintage fur items from Massimo Cantini Parrini’s archive collection. The film will cover her life story and finish with her sad death in Paris after suffering from vision problems that left her almost blind.The director, who is best known for the bio pictures Jackie (about Jackie Kennedy, played by Natalie Portman) and Spencer (about Princess Diana, played by Kristen Stewart), said: 'Having the chance to combine my two most deep and personal passions, cinema and opera, has been a long-awaited dream.''To do this with Angelina, a supremely brave and curious artist, is a fascinating opportunity. A true gift.'The actress has played famous people before: In 1998 she starred as tragic supermodel Gia Carangi in Gia and in 2007 she starred as Mariana Pearl in the film A Mighty Heart.
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source : Daily mail
Angelina Jolie hints at the 'despair' and 'pain' of her divorce from Brad Pitt as she arrives at the Venice Film Festival photocall for her heartbreaking new movie Maria
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- Published on Friday, 30 August 2024 06:50
- Written by Daily mail
Angelina Jolie hinted at the heavy emotional toll which her divorce from Brad Pitt has taken on her, saying she has been through 'despair' and 'pain.'Jolie, 49, split from her film star husband after a disputed incident on a plane in 2016.She has said in court documents that he assaulted her and some of their six children and poured wine and beer on the family in a rage. He has always denied being violent towards her or the family.Ms Jolie is at the film festival in Venice to promote the film Maria, in which she plays the opera singer Maria Callas.Asked about her musical tastes she said: 'I was more of a punk and I loved all music but I probably listened to The Clash more than most.'As I have gotten older I have listened to classical music and opera. I think I still love the music I did when I was younger, I would still listen to The Clash.'But I think when you have felt a certain level of despair, of pain, of love at a certain point there are only certain sounds that can match that feeling and to me the immensity of the feeling encapsulated in the sounds of opera - there is nothing like it.'That feeling that would move all of us if we were to hear it would be the only sound that would explain that pain, so I have leant more towards it now.'She reflected on the premiere of the film on Thursday along with the release of Without Blood which she has co-produced, next week at the Toronto International Film Festival, which means that she is picking up the threads of her movie career which has been largely on pause since splitting from Pitt.Jolie said: 'To be honest I have needed to be home more with my family these last years.''In that time I have become maybe more grateful to have the opportunity to be an artist and to play and to be among all of you, and to just be in this creative world that we are all fortunate to be a part of. 'I am happy to be here and I am grateful to be an artist in any way.'Ms Jolie spent seven months training how to sing for her role in the film, and she performs as Maria Callas at the point when she was close to death and losing her voice. Producers have indicated that they blended Ms Jolie's voice with Ms Callas'.
She said: 'Everybody here knows I was terribly nervous about the singing. I spent almost seven months training because when you work with (director) Pablo (Larrain) you cant do anything by half. 'He demands in a most wonderful way that that you really do the work and really learn and train .'My first time singing I was so nervous that my sons were there and they helped to block the door so that nobody else was coming in.' 'And I was shaky. Pablo in his decency started me in a small room and ended me in La Scala. So he gave me a time to grow. I was frightened to live up to her and you know I had not sung in public.'Pablo Larrain said that the film was a celebration of Callas' life and Jolie added that she hoped that the singer had known at the end of her life how loved she was.Callas, hailed as the greatest voice in the history of opera, died aged only 53 in 1977 after a period of ill health and isolation. She had been heartbroken after husband Ari Onassis abandoned her for JFK's widow Jackie Kennedy.Jolie said that she related strongly to Callas adding: 'Theres a lot I won't say in this room that you probably know or assume.''Probably what I relate to is the part of her that's extra soft. She didn't have room in the world to be as soft as she was or as emotionally open as she was I think I share her vulnerability more than anything.'Pitt and Jolie are divorced but hostilities over finances and custody continue. Daughter Shiloh recently filed to drop 'Pitt' from her surname on her 18th birthday, revealing a deep rift.Older children Maddox and Pax are believed to have no relationship with Pitt either. Only twins Vivienne and Knox are under 18. The former couple are in dispute over Jolie selling her share in their Chateau Miraval vineyard to Russian oligarch Yuri Sheffler.Awkwardly Brad will also be in Venice this week- for his new hitman-caper movie Wolfs, with George Clooney.Sources indicate that the schedules have been arranged so that the warring couple - who continue to be embroiled in legal action eight years after they split - will not be at the film festival at the same time.Angelina will likely fly straight out of Venice following the Thursday night premiere of Maria before Brad heads to town in time for his Sunday night premiere.
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source : Daily mail
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