Angelina Jolie isn’t concerned about aging affecting her acting career. In fact, she feels her work has only gotten better as she gets older.
In an interview with The Sunday Times, Jolie shared, “I’ve got better work as I’ve got older.” The actress, 49, explained that aging doesn’t affect her in terms of the roles she is offered, but rather in terms of the life experiences she brings to her performances.
Jolie, who won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Girl, Interrupted (1999) and was nominated for Best Actress for Changeling (2008), believes aging is “easier for actors than singers or dancers because your body doesn’t change.” She also admires opera singer Maria Callas’ dedication to performing despite her fear of aging.
Jolie is currently receiving praise for her role as the iconic opera singer in the Netflix film Maria, directed by Pablo Larraín. The film follows Callas in her final days in Paris, as she struggles with her identity and life after a glamorous, tumultuous career. Callas, in real life, died of a heart attack at age 53 in 1977.
Jolie explained, “Maria is vulnerable because she feels and isn’t sometimes able to protect herself from the loneliness or emotional pain… it’s part of her life and work to be extremely human.” She added that connecting with the audience through communication is vital, both for Maria and herself.
Maria had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a 10-minute standing ovation and glowing reviews for Jolie’s portrayal of the singer. The film is already showing in select theaters and will be available on Netflix on December 6.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria is his third film about iconic women, following Spencer (about Princess Diana) and Jackie (about Jacqueline Kennedy).