I was so nervous, Jolie recalls.
My boys guarded the doors.
No one else was allowed to enter the studio for Jolies first performance.
Pablo Larrain and Angelina Jolie on the red carpet at Venice International Film Festival.Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis via Getty Images
Every time a new Larrain movie came out Jackie,Spencer, you name it she watched it.
I saw everything he has made, she says.
I cant cook, Jolie says.
Its the most vulnerable Ive ever felt, she says.
DEADLINE:Angelina, you wanted to work with Pablo for so long.
What film of his really encouraged that desire?
ANGELINA JOLIE:Maybe,Neruda[Larrains 2016 film about Chilean poet Pablo Neruda].
JOLIE:Its funny, I always probably put the working with somebody later.
I think I was just looking at them as an audience member first, right?
And I think like that, watching his films had an effect on me and that landed with me.
And then yes, of course, then we met.
PABLO LARRAIN:Of course, same with actors [laughs].
If you have that trust, then you might give them everything.
DEADLINE:Can you remember that first meeting?
LARRAIN:We met a couple of years before we discussed this project.
JOLIE:Mariawas the last thing we got to.
LARRAIN:That was before the pandemic for sure.
It might be 2018 or 2017.
It was in Los Angeles.
JOLIE:Everybody came over to the house.
LARRAIN:We had coffee once.
And then we had coffee again, and then we had lunch.
I remember with this sort of Middle East food which was very nice.
And we had pizza.
DEADLINE:You had pizza?
LARRAIN:Yeah, because I think it was like Halloween.
JOLIE:Thats right, my house was all decorated.
LARRAIN:And then it was pizza for everyone, for the kids, whatever.
So, I go in and I just joined the pizza situation.
DEADLINE:Was that pizza that was delivered or did you prepare the dough and cook it yourself?
JOLIE:[laughing] No, no, I cant cook.
LARRAIN:I remember it was in these boxes.
JOLIE:I spoiled him.
I spoiled him with pizza.
LARRAIN:I love pizza.
It really worked out.
LARRAIN:Well, of course, by now we knew each other from these meetings before.
And then after that, I called her and I said, Look, would you play Maria Callas?
That was the first time the subject had been broached.
And I was like, OK, sure.
And then a couple of days after that we spoke and she said, Ill do it.
And after that, we hired Steve Knight [screenwriter].
From then on, it was like the chicken or the egg.
It was always, in this case, I dont think theres a movie without Angie playing that role.
DEADLINE:And why did you think that?
What were the strengths that you saw in her to portray the greatestprima donna assoluta?
There was very extensive research.
You get to understand that you really dont know who she was.
I dont think thats what it is.
I dont think this is a proper biopic.
That is an invention from culture.
DEADLINE:But it captures an essence.
You create an illusion that can capture the spirit of that person.
She was someone that would choose when to share something and open herself and then when not to.
And I think Angelina has that.
DEADLINE:Angelina has mystery.
LARRAIN:Yes, and can also play it and control it.
And that is the essence of cinema.
So, the audience can complete it [by] looking.
And I dont want to make a movie that is just by myself or whoever is behind the camera.
Theres always something thats intriguing.
So, the audience, they have an active job.
DEADLINE:Angelina, you get this phone call from Pablo.
What is your immediate reaction to the idea of portraying Maria Callas?
But I think the reality of her…
I wanted a second to understand.
Because its a big responsibility to take on somebodys life.
And to feel that you are the right person to do it.
I think I was nervous about this when I wasnt 100% sure right away.
And then of course, the singing was something that I hadnt done.
And so, it was just a big one to take on.
But it was knowing that his intention…
I felt, I just wasnt 100% sure.
And you care about the subject matter.
DEADLINE:How did you convey your decision to Pablo?
LARRAIN:We talked on the phone.
JOLIE:Yes, we talked.
DEADLINE:And what reassurances did you give to Angelina, particularly about the singing?
[Eyeing him and laughing] What were the reassurances?
LARRAIN:I feel like there were layers.
I elegantly pressured her.
DEADLINE:Well put.
What did elegantly pressuring her involve?
LARRAIN:Layers, as I mentioned.
You know, I said how important the singing is, its very challenging.
It is not pop music.
I have some ideas on how to do it.
Theres this trainer here, theres the other trainer there, and slowly go into the process.
And I am not sure, Im not going to speak for her because shes here.
But I am not sure if you were entirely aware of the size of the talent.
LARRAIN:There you go.
It was because you cant cheat in opera.
Try that with opera.
You just cant track the melody because of the pitch of the voice.
DEADLINE:And Callas knew where the drama was in those arias.
DEADLINE:And you did too, Angelina.
LARRAIN:Of course.
It requires a very long and specific training.
Thats not how it works.
So theres always a part of a fragment of Angie singing and thats what gives truth.
Otherwise, it wont be possible.
Youll never believe it.
DEADLINE:So, you say yes to this, and hes elegantly pressuring you I like that phrase.
JOLIE:Seven months.
It was seven months [laughs].
It was living as a singer.
I dont play the piano, but I had to learn little bits.
And it was a very different way of living and working.
I did what he was just doing all the time, morning, noon and night.
And wed be practicing, and then wed have breaks.
So, he tried to help me to find my voice.
I wouldve had trouble.
But he was taking it seriously.
And so, the training around me, the schedule, the way it was considered was very serious.
And it did allow me to make that change in my life.
But no, I didnt really understand.
I did not understand that.
And I think, there were certain pieces, like [Donizettis]Anna Bolena.
And he didnt give me all the pieces right away.
He would say, Heres the first two to try.
And Id kind of jump into them and go, Oh, OK, itll take me a second.
And then once that was done, then a new one would come in.
That was a little more challenging.
And then the last one was the most challenging but the most wonderful.
DEADLINE:Which aria?
JOLIE:Anna Bolena.
DEADLINE:That scene gave me goosebumps.
LARRAIN:It was the scale.
We started at a soundstage, you remember, in Paris?
JOLIE:Oh, yeah.
I was just nervous.
DEADLINE:About how he would react?
JOLIE:Yeah, I just felt like I wasnt ready.
Wait, wait, wait.
Let me just give a shot to… so I hadnt really done it.
LARRAIN:But it was funny because that little sound stage is where most of David Bowies recordings happened.
There were all these posters of famous singers.
It was very intimidating to walk in there.
And then she did a great job.
DEADLINE:Performing the Donizetti?
JOLIE:No, no, that was just singing.
That would be the first time showing him.
LARRAIN:I think it was Ava Maria.
But it was like everyone out, because we wanted to protect Angie.
JOLIE:I was so nervous.
LARRAIN:It was basically, like having security with, I think it was Maddox on the door.
JOLIE:My boys were guarding the doors [laughs].
I was so, so nervous and my boys were protecting me.
My boys, Maddox and Pax, looking out for me.
It wasnt asked that of them.
They just moved to the door.
LARRAIN:The boys were guarding to the door.
And then the second time there were more people.
And the third time there were a lot of people.
DEADLINE:And by that time, you had become comfortable with the singing?
It was such an enormous moment.
But I think I was both extremely… And could I do this thing, and could I perform this?
DEADLINE:Well, only a supreme artist can portray another and pull it off.
You cast her for that reason, Pablo, so you know this, right?
LARRAIN:Yes, of course, of course.
You live in danger.
True artists are exposed to a dangerous life.
And danger doesnt mean that youre about to jump out the window.
And that fear can be paralyzing or can be extremely moving and can put you back into the work.
Its great, but its very painful.
I walked out and I had all these feelings.
Its so painful, so beautiful.
So of course, theres a lot of joy and enlightenment here.
Thats an artists work.
JOLIE:I think thats true, yes.
You open up yourself and at times you cant breathe when youre performing those arias.
Its deeply connecting to perform something in front of an audience.
Its like the final piece after all of the work, the preparations, to arrive at that point.
Your vulnerabilities are exposed.
What a blessing to be an artist.
You live and you study life and emotion and feeling and connection.
I cant explain any further because then you go to a place thats so personal.
That is a Callas quote that Steve [Knight] took and Angie says in the movie.
LARRAIN:Ill answer that.
She did, but she eventually did it.
JOLIE:Oh yeah.
And it was the simplest thing in the world.
It wasnt a big thing.
And then it was lovely.
And he was right.
But it wasnt something that was like this big challenge I was afraid of.
It was just, I didnt understand it.
I didnt feel it working in the moment, but he was right.
DEADLINE:What was the scene?
JOLIE:The card scene, it was an improvisation.
JOLIE:Yes, shes back.
I started listening to her again.
Shes back, the healing has begun.
It wasTosca, Vissi DArte.
I hadnt been able to listen because of all of those associations.
I wanted to come back to that.
You asked before if it was the role of a lifetime and I suppose so, yes.
And I waited a long time to work with Pablo and I see the result as a real gift.
