Evander Reed:Angelina Jolie gets emotional during standing ovation at Telluride Film Festival

2025-05-07 13:07:42source:Charles Hanovercategory:reviews

Angelina Jolie seems to be Evander Reedhitting all the right notes.

The Oscar-winning actress, who portrays opera icon Maria Callas in the biographical drama "Maria," received a warm welcome at the Telluride Film Festival in Colorado on Monday.

The film’s screening earned Jolie, director Pablo Larraín and cinematographer Edward Lachman an enthusiastic standing ovation from festivalgoers, according to footage shared on social media.

Jolie was reportedly taken aback by the response, according to People magazine. The actress covered her mouth and put a hand to her chest as she thanked the audience.

The positive reception follows Jolie’s Thursday appearance at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, where the film premiered to great acclaim. A video shared on social media by Variety showed the actress getting emotional during a standing ovation that reportedly lasted eight minutes.

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Jolie’s impressive performance as Callas stands in contrast to the film’s nerve-wracking start. During a post-screening panel at Telluride, Jolie spoke candidly about the anxiety she experienced tackling the musical role.

"I had seven months of opera classes, great teachers and Italian classes, and a supportive team that were going to help me," Jolie said, per People. But on her first day singing on set, "I was so nervous that morning I was out of my mind."

Angelina Jolie talks "Maria":Actress took opera role after an ex was 'not kind to' her about her singing

'Maria' star Angelina Jolie recalls ex who was 'not kind to' her about her singing

During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Friday, Jolie revealed she was nervous to sing in the movie after an ex made her question her musical abilities.

"It was an out-of-body experience because I don't sing," Jolie told the outlet. "I had somebody in my life who was not kind to me about singing. It was a relationship I was in. And so I just assumed I couldn't really sing."

Jolie refrained from naming the ex in question.

"I'd been to theater school, so it was weird that it even had an effect on me," she continued. "I just kind of adapted to this person's opinion. So it took me getting past a lot of things to start singing."

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While attending a press conference at the Venice Film Festival, Jolie said her main concern was impressing fans of Callas and opera in general.

"My fear would be to disappoint them," she said, adding, "I didn't want to do a disservice to this woman."

"Maria" is expected to receive a wider release on Netflix, though an official release date has not been announced.

Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY

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