Angelina Jolie as ‘La Divina’
A century after the birth of one of the greatest sopranos to ever grace the world’s most renowned stages, 2023 is designated, unofficially, as the Year of Maria Callas. And as we prepare for musical tributes, exhibitions and new opera productions in Greece and abroad, a piece of news reaches us from the other side of the Atlantic to round out what promises to be an exciting year for fans of the Greek diva.
According to a report in Variety, Academy Award-winning actress Angelina Jolie is set to play Callas in a new film by Chilean director Pablo Larrain. Titled “Maria,” the biopic reportedly “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 1970s Paris.”
The screenplay is written by Steven Knight, who worked with Larrain on “Spencer,” the 2021 historical fiction film about Princess Diana, starring Kristen Stewart, and also wrote “Dirty Pretty Things” and “Eastern Promises.”
“I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria’s life and legacy. I will give all I can to meet the challenge. Pablo Larrain is a director I have long admired. To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria’s story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream,” Jolie said in a statement.
“Having the chance to combine my two most deep and personal passions, cinema and opera, has been a long-awaited dream. To do this with Angelina, a supremely brave and curious artist, is a fascinating opportunity. A true gift,” said Larrain.
