“Maleficent,” and “Eternals” actress Angelina Jolie has officially signed to play a Greek-American opera singer Maria Callas in Oscar nominated filmmaker Pablo Larrain’s next movie, “Maria.”
Following the Kristen Stewart-led Princess Diana biopic, “Spencer,” Natalie Portman-led Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis biopic, “Jackie,” Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín has enlisted another A-lister Angelina Jolie.
The film follows the tumultuous, beautiful, and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singer, re-imagined during her final days in 1970’s Paris. Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders,” “Eastern Promises”) pens the script and Juan de Dios Larraín and Jonas Dornbach produce.
In 1923, Callas was born out of a Greek immigrant family in Manhattan who became one of the most influential opera singers of the 20th century. She received her opera training in Greece when she was 13 and later established her career in Italy.
Throughout the years, she dealt with near-sightedness that left her nearly blind and multiple scandals in her personal and professional life. She had an intense rivalry with Italian opera singer Renata Tebaldi, and had an affair with Aristotle Onassis (who later married Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who coincidentally was the subject of Larraín’s previous film “Jackie).
Larrain says in a statement: “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.”
“I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria’s life and legacy. I will give all I can to meet the challenge,” said Jolie.
“Pablo Larraín is a director I have long admired.
To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria’s story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.”
This marks Jolie’s first acting project since starring in 2021’s Eternals film. She’s currently working on directing her next movie “Without Blood” which will be starring by Salma Hayek and Demián Bichir.