Angelina Jolie slightly alluded to Brad Pitt while opening up about her latest role, portraying the legendary opera star Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s upcoming biographical drama, Maria.

“There’s a lot I won’t say in this room that you probably know and assume,” Jolie said, per IndieWire.

In an interview with the members of the media at the Venice Film Festival, the Original Sin star spoke about the difficulties and important personal meaning of embodying Callas, whose life was an amazing combination of talent and tragedy.

Jolie draws a parallel with Maria while addressing…

When asked whether she sees the role as a potential path to a second Oscar, Jolie emphasized, “For me, the bar in this where I would know if I did good enough are the Maria Callas fans and those who love opera, and my fear would be to disappoint them.”

She added, “So of course all other things and in my own business if there’s a response to the work, I’m very grateful. But in my heart, to disappoint the people who love her and who she means a lot to, and her legacy, I came to care for her. I didn’t want to do a disservice to this woman.”

Maria focuses on the final chapter of Callas' life in 1977, during which the opera diva struggled with substance abuse, a deteriorating voice, and significant weight loss. These issues plagued her as she lived in Paris, leading up to her untimely death from a heart attack at the age of 53. Jolie's portrayal delves into this poignant period, bringing to life the complexities of a woman who was once at the pinnacle of her art but faced deep personal struggles in her later years.

Jolie's personal life has been under intense scrutiny since she filed for divorce from Pitt in September 2016. Their ongoing, highly publicized split has revealed serious allegations of abuse and resulted in Pitt becoming estranged from their children. Despite these ongoing challenges, Jolie mentioned that she relates deeply to Callas’ “vulnerability,” indicating a personal connection to the role beyond the surface-level similarities.

“I remember being so nervous, my sons were there, they had to lock the door to make sure no one else was coming in. I was shaky,” Jolie recalled.

“Pablo started me in a small room and ended me in La Scala. I was frightened.”