Angelia Jolie is stepping into some impressive historical shoes, portraying the legendary opera singer and musical icon Maria Callas, in the forthcoming biopic Maria.
On Monday, director Pablo Larraín shared two first-look photos of Jolie as the stage star — who is often credited as the first true modern diva, and one of the greatest operatic vocalists and performers in history.
According to a press release issued along with the stills, Maria is “based on true accounts,” and the film “tells the tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singer, relived and re-imagined during her final days in 1970’s Paris.”
Jolie, 48, embodies the opera legend with grace and a unique blend of delicacy and power in the glimpses shared by Larraín.
According to the release, “Jolie’s costumes in the film are based on original garments worn by Callas.”
Additionally, the production consulted and worked alongside animal rights groups “regarding the use of vintage fur items worn in the film from costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini’s archive collection.” The production made “a conscious decision” to not source any new fur for the costuming, and instead rely on existing vintage pieces.
“I am incredibly excited to start production on Maria, which I hope will bring Maria Callas’s remarkable life and work to audiences all around the world,” Larraín said in a statement, “thanks to the magnificent script by Steven Knight, the work of the entire cast and crew, and especially, Angelina’s brilliant work and extraordinary preparation.”
Knight penned the screenplay ahead of the WGA strike, and the film — which is expected to shoot over a span of eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan — is an independent production, and signed to a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement, allowing production to begin amid the SAG-AFTRA strike.
As for Larraín, he has previously received significant acclaim for his past biopics that tell the life stories of significant women in history, including Spencer (2021) and Jackie (2016).
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