Angelina Jolie Reveals How ‘Maria’ Made Her Sons See Her in a Whole New Light

Angelina Jolie recently shared a touching revelation about the emotional challenges she faced while working on her latest film, Maria, a biographical drama that has earned her Oscar buzz. The iconic actress opened up about how her children, particularly her sons Maddox and Pax, saw a new side of her while she portrayed the legendary opera singer Maria Callas.

In an interview with BBC News, Jolie described how her role brought out “a lot of pain,” which her children witnessed for the first time during filming. “The character (Maria) has a lot of pain and they’ve of course seen me go through a lot of things, but they hadn’t experienced me expressing a lot of the pain that usually a parent hides from a child,” she explained.

Jolie’s sons, who worked as production assistants on the film, were present on set during some of the more difficult moments of her performance. Her children’s presence during these intense scenes allowed them to see their mother in a new light.

Despite the emotional weight of her role, the family maintained a sense of care and comfort. “So they were there to witness some of that, but then we would hug or they would bring me cups of tea,” Jolie added, emphasizing the support and love that helped her cope with the emotional demands of the role.

Aside from the emotional toll, Jolie also spoke about the physical challenges she faced while preparing for the part. She explained that the journey began with regular singing classes, but it was when she started opera training that she encountered the true physical intensity required for the role.

“We started with regular singing classes and it was challenging in many ways,” she said. “But when the opera classes began, what it requires with your breathwork and your body and just the force of what you push through yourself, it’s just a very different physicality.”

Jolie’s candid reflection on how her children saw her struggle while portraying the complex character of Maria Callas underscores the deeply personal nature of her performance. As the film garners attention for its powerful portrayal of pain and resilience, Jolie’s experience on set reveals the emotional and physical toll it took—not just on the character, but on the actress herself.