Angelina Jolie talks about playing legendary opera singer Maria Callas and overcoming the fear of singing in 'Maria' - WSVN 7News

Angelina Jolie is doing it the hard way. She plays an opera singer in ‘Maria’. You know she could have faked it. She could have lip-synced.

Instead, the Oscar-winning actress overcame her fear of singing with a little help from the legendary opera singer she plays.

Angelina Jolie (as Maria Callas): (vocals)

Angelina Jolie (as Maria Callas): “A delight. A drunkenness.”

Angelina Jolie is ‘Maria’ in a biopic about the world’s greatest opera singer, Maria Callas. A role that was a challenge for the actress.

Angelina Jolie: “I trained for months, but my first days he was very good to me because we started in a more intimate first. With very few crew members.”

Angelina Jolie (as Maria Callas): (vocals)

Angelina Jolie: “And we ended up at La Scala with everyone, so I had some time to sort out my nerves. But this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I was terrified.”

Terrified or not, she still sang with her heart and soul. But Angie had a great teacher.

Angelina Jolie: “She actually taught, so I was very fortunate to have audio of her explaining what you need to do to sing. So my best teacher was Maria.

Pablo Larraín: “At Julliard, right?”

Angelina Jolie: “Yes.”

From a directorial perspective, Miss Jolie was perfect for the film.

Pablo Larraín: “Very early in the shoot I felt, behind the camera, that she had captured that presence. Maria Callas is someone who captivated people not only by singing, but also by hiding things. I think that dance of feelings and sensitivity was captured very quickly by Angie.

Finding a connection with her character was all love.

Angelina Jolie: “When I put on her big glasses and her Greek hair, I was an older lady in my little robe. I felt a she that felt like the private she that the world didn’t know. And I connected with her first.

The real Maria has experienced many ups and downs. It was all recognizable to Angelina.

Angelina Jolie: “We are actually more vulnerable, and when we have to fight, we fight for ourselves, or for those we love, or for our art. But I think deep down there is a vulnerability that I identified with, and a loneliness.”

Angelina Jolie (as Maria Callas): “There is no reason in opera.”