Angelina Jolie recently opened up about her profound connection with Maria Callas, the legendary opera singer she is set to portray in the upcoming biopic Maria. At the American Film Institute Festival premiere in Hollywood, Jolie shared her reflections on loneliness and the dedication that she believes binds her and Callas, two women from entirely different eras yet deeply linked by their unwavering work ethic and commitment to their craft. Speaking to People magazine, Jolie discussed how portraying Callas has made her confront her own experiences with solitude, which she says has often accompanied her life as an artist and as a dedicated worker.
The Oscar-winning actress explained that Callas’s story has a resonance that she could immediately relate to. “I share a certain loneliness with Callas that comes from being a dedicated worker,” Jolie revealed. At 49, Jolie recognizes that her own dedication to her art has at times left her feeling isolated, and this sense of isolation is something she suspects Callas also felt. Known for her disciplined, sometimes intense approach to acting, Jolie believes that she and Callas are connected by their shared sense of purpose and relentless pursuit of their art. “I may be many things, but I’m a very hard worker, right?” Jolie added, acknowledging the commitment that defines her as an artist, mother, and public figure.
Jolie admitted that playing Callas is a deeply personal experience for her. “I don’t want to speak too much about it because it’s too personal, but there’s definitely a loneliness and a work ethic,” she explained. She elaborated that embodying Callas has felt at times like looking into a mirror, revealing vulnerabilities that she herself has lived with for years. Both Callas and Jolie, she suggested, seem to have sacrificed personal comfort and companionship in favor of their careers. This theme of personal sacrifice is something Jolie understands well, having devoted herself to film, humanitarian work, and, most importantly, to her family, often in a way that leaves little room for self-indulgence.
Maria Callas was known not only for her powerful voice and iconic performances but also for the struggles she faced in her personal life, including a well-documented relationship with Aristotle Onassis, who ultimately left her for Jacqueline Kennedy. Callas’s life was marked by an unyielding focus on her music and by personal tragedies that isolated her from the world. Jolie’s understanding of Callas’s experiences seems to stem from her own journey. Both women, in Jolie’s words, are “probably very hard on ourselves,” suggesting a tendency to hold themselves to uncompromising standards, often at the expense of personal happiness.
As Jolie delves into Callas’s complex life for her role in Maria, she confronts the realities of an artist who placed art above all else. Jolie, too, has often prioritized her work and social activism, making her public life an extension of her personal principles. By portraying Callas, Jolie is not merely taking on a character; she is stepping into the life of a woman who made a choice to live fully for her art, and in doing so, often found herself isolated. The role has given Jolie the chance to confront her own feelings of loneliness and resilience, reminding her that she is not alone in her sacrifices.
Her experience with Maria has also given her the opportunity to explore her views on the artistic spirit. Jolie believes that true artists are shaped by their dedication, often at a high personal cost. In Callas’s case, the intense dedication she brought to her music left an indelible mark on audiences around the world. For Jolie, Callas’s life serves as a testament to the sacrifices that dedicated artists make, willingly or not. It’s this devotion to craft, Jolie notes, that both empowers and isolates.
Reflecting on her own life, Jolie admits that dedication often means having to prioritize her roles as an artist and mother, leaving little time for herself. But like Callas, she feels the profound rewards of this dedication in the impact of her work. Through her humanitarian efforts and her passion for cinema, Jolie has come to understand that fulfillment doesn’t necessarily come with popularity or companionship, but with staying true to one’s own purpose. The solitude that comes with this purpose, she suggests, is perhaps the price an artist must pay to leave a lasting legacy.
In Maria, Jolie finds a role that resonates with her life and identity, bridging her personal experiences with the opera singer’s. The biopic has enabled Jolie to draw strength from Callas’s story, a story defined by fierce dedication, resilience, and a complex sense of self-worth. Through Callas, Jolie reaffirms her commitment to her own work and embraces the solitude that often accompanies it. For Jolie, this role is more than a portrayal; it’s an homage to a fellow artist’s sacrifices, revealing the often-overlooked depth of devotion required in the pursuit of art.
Jolie continued to reflect on how she’s been forced to make her peace with the demands of her career, often grappling with a sense of solitude even as she steps into high-profile roles and embraces social activism. While Callas’s life was marked by the singular focus she gave to her voice and music, Jolie’s journey has involved not only acting but also dedicating herself to causes she believes in deeply, including her work as a United Nations ambassador and her extensive philanthropic efforts around the world. These roles, while fulfilling, require a commitment that can lead to emotional fatigue and, as Jolie points out, an underlying sense of isolation.
The Maria biopic, according to Jolie, has encouraged her to look closely at her own choices, especially the sacrifices that come with them. She remarked that while she’s proud of her accomplishments, she’s also conscious of the personal costs. “Being in the public eye, whether for your art or your activism, can sometimes feel like a barrier between you and the rest of the world,” Jolie said, noting how challenging it can be to lead a life that’s both deeply personal and continuously exposed to public scrutiny. Much like Callas, whose intense dedication often left her feeling isolated, Jolie suggests that a life of purpose can be a lonely one, but it’s one she wouldn’t trade.
Jolie’s deep empathy for Callas isn’t just rooted in their shared devotion to their respective arts. It’s also about understanding the fine line between passion and self-imposed isolation. She believes that Callas’s emotional intensity – both on and off the stage – was what made her performances so powerful yet left her vulnerable in her private life. For Jolie, this aspect of Callas’s life resonates profoundly. As she portrays the opera legend, she aims to capture this emotional depth while honoring the sacrifices Callas made to preserve the purity of her art.
What draws Jolie to Callas’s story, too, is the tragic romance that defined much of the singer’s later life. Callas’s relationship with Aristotle Onassis was famously tumultuous, filled with hope, betrayal, and, ultimately, heartbreak. Jolie admitted that exploring this part of Callas’s life on-screen has made her reflect on her own relationships and the pressures of being a public figure. She shared that both she and Callas have had to balance their private selves with the public’s expectations, a feat that demands immense strength. Jolie suggested that in many ways, portraying Callas has helped her come to terms with her own vulnerability and resilience, acknowledging the courage it takes to live fully in the face of inevitable heartache.
In preparing for the role, Jolie has studied Callas’s life intensely, diving into her music, letters, and personal history to understand the woman behind the myth. This deep research, she explained, has only deepened her admiration for Callas. “Callas’s life is a study in passion,” Jolie said, “one that shows both the highs and the lows that come with living so intensely.” As Jolie embodies Callas on screen, she hopes audiences will see not only the legendary singer but also the human being who fought to live her life on her own terms.