Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain (Jackie, Spencer) has released two first look photos of Angelina Jolie as legendary opera singer Maria Callas for his upcoming biopic, Maria, which is currently in production, having received a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement.
Based on a screenplay by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders), which was written before the WGA strike, the film will share the true story of Callas’ tumultuous and tragic life story as one of the world’s most famous female opera singers. It covers her final days in 1970’s Paris, seemingly in a similar way as Larrain’s portrayal of Princess Diana in Spencer, as portrayed by Kristen Stewart. Stewart received an Oscar nomination for her performance, as did Natalie Portman for playing Jackie Kennedy in Larrain’s Jackie.
The shoot will take place over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest, and Milan with the cast also including Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Valeria Golino.
The photos were accompanied by a statement from Larrain, stating, “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, 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.”
