Angelina Jolie Is 'Overwhelmed' by Positive Response toMaria: 'It Was a Vulnerable Project' (Exclusive Source)

Mar. 15, 2025

From L: Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas in inMaria(2024) and at the Venice Film Festival on Aug. 29, 2024, in Venice, Italy.Photo:Pablo Larraín; Jacopo Raule/FilmMagic

Pablo Larraín; Jacopo Raule/FilmMagic

Angelina Jolieis basking in the rapturous response to her new movieMaria.

A source tells PEOPLE that the Oscar winner, 49, is “overwhelmed and so grateful for all the positive feedback about” Pablo Larraín’s new biopic, in which she plays opera singerMaria Callas.

“It’s a touching experience. It was a vulnerable project. She’s excited,” the insider adds.

Mariarecently premiered at theVenice Film Festivalbefore Jolie and Larraín, 48, jetted back to the U.S. to showcase their movie at the Telluride Film Festival.

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Angelina Jolie and Naomi Watts at the Telluride Film Festival on Aug. 31, 2024, in Telluride, Colorado.Vivien Killilea/Getty

Vivien Killilea/Getty

Among the fellow A-listers the actress and filmmaker mingled with wereNaomi Watts,PharrellandJohn David Washington.

“This is a return to Telluride for her and she was loving going to [see other] films,” the festival insider adds of Jolie.

Aside from chatting with fellow celebrities at the festival, Jolie stopped in town to talk with a handful of film students. She was also seen beaming at the twoMariascreenings, and was met with huge applause when Larraín brought her out during the screening events.

Mariahas received rousing standing ovations at both the Venice and Telluride festivals — including an eight-minute one in Italy, whichmoved Jolie to tears.

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Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas inMaria(2024).Pablo Larraín

Pablo Larraín

The actress has opened up abouther “nerves” making the movieas she has hit the festival circuit, revealingshe never really sangbefore playing Callas and how she relates to the late opera diva.

“I think the way I related to her may be a surprise — [it was] probably the part of her that’s extremely soft and doesn’t have room in the world to be as soft as she truly was, and as emotionally open as she truly was,” Jolie said at a Venice press conference on Thursday, Aug. 29.

She was also asked how she feels about potential Oscarbuzz surrounding her performance, replying that her, the bar for success has been based more the reaction from fans of Callas “and those who love opera.”

“My fear would be to disappoint them,” Jolie explained to reporters. “So of course all other things, in my own business, if there’s a response to the work, I’m very grateful.”

She added of Callas, “Ishare her vulnerabilitymore than anything.”

Netflix has acquired the rights toMaria,but a release date has not yet been announced.

source: people.com