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- What Is Netflix’s ‘Maria’ About?
- Angelina Jolie‘s Training Regiment for ‘Maria’
- Angelina Jolie Speaks About Her Preparation for ‘Maria’
As a film enthusiast and music lover, I have to say that Angelina Jolie’s journey in portraying Maria Callas is nothing short of inspiring. Her dedication, resilience, and emotional vulnerability are truly commendable.
With an exceptional portrayal, Angelina Jolie is nearly guaranteed to vie for her second Academy Award since her win in 2000 for Girl, Interrupted. Her remarkable vocal abilities and genuine singing skills lend an extraordinary authenticity to the character of Maria. To grasp how Jolie attained such enchanting high notes, it’s insightful to delve into her training methods and reveal that she initially considered lip-syncing for this role, but instead showcased her hidden vocal talents.
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What Is Netflix’s ‘Maria’ About?
Maria is a biographical psychodrama directed by Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín from a screenplay by Steven Knight. The third leg of Larraín’s unofficial biographical trilogy of public female figures behind Jackie and Spencer, Maria concerns Maria Callas, a Greek-American operatic soprano who became one of the world’s most famous of her kind.
As a movie aficionado, it’s no secret that this filmmaker shies away from grandiose cradle-to-grave biopics, instead zeroing in on pivotal moments in the lives of his subjects. In “Maria,” we delve into the tumultuous finale of Maria’s time in Paris, a period riddled with her attempts to reconcile her public persona with the overwhelming demands of stardom.
In a departure from typical biopic structures, the film “Maria” offers an engaging exploration of a well-known figure, delving deep into her complex relationship with the public. The central struggle of this character unfolds following her compulsory retirement at 49 due to health issues, as she grapples with her enduring legacy during her remaining days. Despite some criticism leveled against “Maria” for its portrayal of Callas as being aloof and distant, or perhaps due to Angelina Jolie’s difficulty in distinguishing herself from the celebrity of Callas, the scenes featuring Jolie’s singing are particularly authentic and resonant.
Angelina Jolie’s Training Regiment for ‘Maria’
In order to replicate Maria Callas’ vocal performance, Larrain skillfully blended numerous original Callas recordings with Jolie’s own singing voice. Initially hesitant about her singing role in the film, Jolie confessed her apprehensions. During an interview with Vanity Fair, Larrain disclosed this information.
Is it possible to create a film about Maria Callas without incorporating her actual voice? Not really. Portraying her without an actress who can truly sing would be inauthentic. The reality was daunting for her, yet she courageously carried it out.
When inquired about her preparation process, the director described it as “extremely prolonged, meticulously detailed, and challenging.” Jolie underwent a training period of approximately six to seven months with Academy Award-winning Sound Editor John Warhurst to master the correct tone and delivery. After Jolie had grasped Callas’ rhythm and pitch, Warhurst and Larrain would record her singing live and combine it with Callas’ original recordings, as Larrain explained in an interview with Vanity Fair.
You’re accustomed to hearing both Angelina and Maria Callas. When we tune into Maria Callas at her peak, her voice dominates the soundscape, making up around 90% or even 95%. However, when listening to Maria Callas now compared to then, it’s almost as if Angelina has taken over.
In our experience, she was remarkably honest, allowing us to simply go with the flow and observe her actions. She sets the boundaries, moving closer or pulling away when it suits her. This interaction is a delicate dance of vulnerability. It’s incredibly intimate because the camera frequently gets up close and personal with her, making us feel like we’re always there with her. At times, she seemed to sense my presence. We would finish a scene, and she would meet my gaze, often just by the way I looked at her.
Angelina Jolie Speaks About Her Preparation for ‘Maria’
Jolie spoke about her experience of making Maria at AFI Fest (via Variety), confessing:
For quite some time, I’ve been carrying a heavy burden inside me. The start, the melody, and then when that melody eventually played, it was the most therapeutic experience I’ve ever had. In all honesty, if you haven’t tried therapy yet and find yourself spending too much time there, I strongly suggest you consider joining a singing class instead. It has been incredibly beneficial for me.
Discovering your unique voice within yourself carries a raw, instinctive feeling. It unearths emotions you might have avoided, and singing with all your heart and soul demands that you face these feelings and personal boundaries.
Jolie spent seven months focusing on her vocal training, learning Italian, opera, and breath control techniques. She also worked diligently on perfecting the arias she was to sing live during filming. This wasn’t an easy journey for Jolie emotionally, as she shared with The Hollywood Reporter.
“My first class, I cried. I was sad, I was scared. It was a strange physical body reaction. I stood there, and [the instructor] said, ‘OK, just be in your body. Take a deep breath, let it all out and just open your mouth and just let that sound come from the inside.’ And that’s when I became really emotional. You discover how much we lock our pain in our bodies. Our voice gets tight, our shoulders go high, we get stomach aches, we do all these things, and it’s a protection for us.”
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2024-12-04 05:31