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Angelina Jolie recently shared a deeply personal experience from the set of her latest film, "Maria." The film, which depicts the life of the iconic opera singer Maria Callas, has been a significant project for Jolie, both professionally and personally. During the shoot, Jolie revealed that she had an emotional breakdown in front of her children, a moment that brought them closer together.
Jolie recounted the support she received from her children, Pax, Zahara, and Maddox, who were present at the 62nd Annual New York Film Festival for the film's premiere. Jolie said, "It's meant everything. You know, before you get out in these things, you're as nervous. They just said, 'No matter what, Mom, good luck and we know how hard you work and we love you.' You know, you just have that moment where the people who are with you tell you, succeed or fail, they care about you."
"My boys were with me on set, and they were in the AD department, the photography department. So, it was kind of an amazing thing to have, you know, they don't always... to see you work in this way because it was such a deeply emotional film that I didn't catch it at first... They saw me learn how to sing, they saw me practice, they saw me nervous," Jolie shared.
"They were there the first time I had to do it and I was terrified, and they were there when I broke down crying... So, it was an interesting time for us to kind of get closer in a different way," she explained. This experience was particularly significant for Jolie, who noted that parents often try to shield their children from such vulnerability. "Many of us that have children know you don't often cry in front of your children or you don't express certain things in front of your children, so to do that and then tell them it's okay and be there for each other was very special."
Jolie also humorously recounted how her children's reactions to her singing evolved over time. Initially, they were proud of her efforts rather than her vocal prowess. "In the beginning, it was more like they were proud of me for trying so hard. It wasn't that, 'We like your voice,' it was, 'Good for you!' We're proud of you, Mom. We know how hard you're working," she said. However, as she improved, their feedback became more encouraging. "Then there was a time when they started to say, 'You know actually, you're kind of doing it, Mom!'"
