'Imperfect' Angelina Jolie Says She Has 'Loneliness' in Common With Late Opera Singer Maria Callas Years After Brad Pitt Divorce
Angelina Jolie admitted she found herself relating to late opera singer Maria Callas while filming her new movie Maria.
“I don’t want to speak too much about it because it’s too personal,” Jolie told People at the AFI Fest premiere in Hollywood on Saturday, October 26, years after her divorce from Brad Pitt. “But there’s definitely a loneliness and a work ethic.”
“I’m an imperfect person, but I work very hard, and she does too,” the Oscar-winning actress, who portrays Callas in the upcoming flick, said. “I may be many things, but I’m a very hard worker, right?”
While portraying the legendary soprano, she discovered they are both “performers and workers with jobs to do” who are often “very hard on themselves."
She also admitted that preparing for this role required extensive dedication.
“It took many months of singing classes and Italian lessons,” Jolie said to a news outlet. “You try to be precise. I’m making her pain personal to me, and that is certainly very private.”
The actress paid tribute to Callas through her fashion choices at the Venice premiere, as she wore a stunning black gown adorned with a gold Cartier Panthère brooch that belonged to the legendary singer.
“I chose not to copy [Maria’s] looks because they are hers, and her Venice carpets were stunning, so I gave a little nod to her — in a different way,” she said to Vogue at that time. “You can imagine how special it was to wear a piece of jewelry that was hers.”
The Maria star recently earned a powerful standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival for her performance in the film — an emotional moment that brought her to tears.
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As OK! previously reported, Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt in September 2016, citing irreconcilable differences.
Since then, their split has been entangled in a lengthy legal battle involving custody issues and complex financial matters.
In a 2021 interview with Vogue, she revealed that the reason behind leaving Pitt.
“I separated for the well-being of my family," she told the magazine. “It was the right decision.”
As OK! previously reported, Jolie shifted her focus on her career and her children after dropping a lawsuit that accused her estranged ex-husband of physical and verbal abuse.
"She seems really relaxed and happy," a source dished to In Touch. "It’s like she’s turned over a new leaf."
Jolie talked to the The Hollywood Reporter about the preparations she did for the film.