The first look of actor Angelina Jolie from her upcoming movie 'Maria', which is a biopic based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas, was released by its makers on Monday.
Director Pablo Larraín has released two stills from the movie which features Jolie.
Based on true accounts, the film will tell 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.
With the independent production having signed to a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, the shoot is now set to start, and will take place over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan, reports The Hollywood Reporter.
According to reports, the cast also includes actors Pierfrancesco Favino (Adagio, The Hummingbird), Alba Rohrwacher (La Chimera, Hungry Hearts), Haluk Bilginer (Winter Sleep), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog, Elvis) and Valeria Golino (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Caos Calmo).
The script, which was completed prior to the WGA strike, is written by Steven Knight (Spencer, Peaky Blinders, Eastern Promises), The Hollywood Reporter reported.
Pablo Larraín was quoted as saying by Deadline: “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.”
Jolie’s costumes in the movie are reportedly based on original garments worn by Callas.
The production has consulted with animal rights groups including PETA regarding the use of vintage fur items worn in the film from costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini’s archive collection. A conscious decision was made not to use or source any new fur, reports Deadline.