Pablo Larraín, her eternal fan Angelina Jolie (Angelina Jolie), in 2021 he offered her an unexpected role. To play the iconic Maria Callas.

The actress was initially hesitant, but then embraced the challenge, which led to the creation of the film Maria, which will premiere on Thursday, August 29 at the Venice Film Festival.

Written by Oscar nominee Steven Knight, the film explores “the turbulent, beautiful and tragic life story of the leading soprano, focusing on her final days in Paris in the 70s.”

“The film is about the woman who, after dedicating her life to the world audience, decides to find her own voice, her own identity and finally do something just for herself,” the Chilean creator told Vanity Fair.

“This is the greatest diva of the 20th century, and who could play her? I needed an actress…who would carry that weight, who would be that presence. Angelina was there,” he added.

She describes her preparation, which lasted more than 6 months, as “very specific and very difficult”.

“Work on your posture. Study the breath. She developed a way of speaking that befits a woman who lives both in the world and on another level of publicity. Then came the voice lessons,” the famous director underlines.

Alongside Jolie, Valeria Golino stars as Maria Callas’ sister, as well as Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer and Kodi Smit-McPhee Smith-McPhee).

Through the lens of Ed Lachman (Ed Lachman) the film alternates between “impressive color scenes capturing the present and black and white flashbacks”.

The director considers that “Maria” closes the circle of the trilogy of films he created with leading women who wrote history. In 2016 he brought to the big screen, the three-time Oscar nominee “Jackie” with Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy and in 2021 the film “Spencer” with Kristen Stewart in the role of Princess Diana also had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.