Angelina Jolie admits ‘I was told I couldn’t sing’ ahead of Maria Callas biopic

Angelina Jolie has opened up about a brutal moment in her life that pushed her to ‘find her voice’ by portraying opera legend Maria Callas

In a sincere conversation, Angelina Jolie shared how a tough encounter inspired her to “find my voice” in her role as Maria Callas.

The Hollywood icon caught up with Cynthia Erivo, star of Wicked, for Variety’s Actors on Actors series, where A-listers discuss their new work.

In the latest episode, Jolie reflected on playing the operatic superstar in the upcoming drama and Erivo opened up about her portrayal of Elphaba Thropp.

Swapping behind-the-scenes stories, Angelina spoke of the “many emotions” that the role stirred, stemming from a disheartening moment involving “someone in my life.”

Jolie, an Academy Award winner, disclosed that she’d spent seven months preparing for the part, with filming spanning three months, where she bravely sang live, reports the Mirror US.

Erivo, clearly excited, exclaimed: “There is something quite thrilling about getting to do that on the set.”

But Jolie admitted that the live singing aspect was daunting, remarking: “For you I’m sure it’s thrilling because you know how good your voice is, for me (it was) more terrifying than thrilling.”

The 49-year-old actress went on to reveal that she initially asked to sing in a small room, gaining confidence as the production progressed. Erivo probed further on whether those fears had subsided, asking: “You said that you were terrified, do you think that feeling is eased now?”

The star expressed a whirlwind of feelings about her latest role, sharing: “I feel so many emotions when it comes to this piece because I had someone in my life say that I couldn’t sing.”

Reflecting on a dismissive gesture from her past, she revealed, “They didn’t even say (I) couldn’t sing, I kind of was singing something little and they kind of laughed a little bit at me. And it really locked me, I don’t think I would have ever tried had this not come. I would have just lived my whole life never finding my voice.”

Ultimately, she found solace in her journey, saying, “So yes I went from being very terrified to being very grateful.”

Her portrayal of the iconic diva during her twilight in Paris has been met with critical acclaim, with the film garnering a fresh 74% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The role snagged her a Golden Globes nomination for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.

She’s also in the running for the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress alongside heavy hitters such as Erivo, Karla Sofia Gascon, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Mikey Madison, and Demi Moore.

Maria releases in UK cinemas on January 10 2025