Move over, Maria Callas—Angelina Jolie is officially stepping into the opera ring. And yes, she’s singing. Like, actual notes. In public. While dressed like one of the most legendary opera stars of all time. No big deal, right?
In her new biopic Maria, Angelina doesn’t just act as Maria Callas—oh no, that would be too easy. She’s also putting those vocal cords to the test. But don’t be fooled by the glitzy facade of Milan’s La Scala; this journey into diva-dom didn’t exactly start off with a mic drop.
So, what’s the backstory? Well, according to Angie (yes, I feel we’re on nickname terms now), she hadn’t sung in years. Why, you ask? Because an ex decided to channel their inner Simon Cowell and basically told her, “Yeah, maybe don’t quit your day job, sweetie.” Naturally, after that, our girl hung up her imaginary karaoke mic.
“I don’t sing,” she confessed to The Hollywood Reporter, probably while giving them the same death glare she reserved for the Tomb Raider set. “I had somebody in my life who was not kind to me about singing. It was a relationship I was in.” (Cue dramatic soap opera music here, please.)
Apparently, Angelina took this ex’s expert critique so much to heart that she went through life thinking she was tone-deaf. “It’s weird,” she admitted. “I went to theater school! I was Lara Croft, for crying out loud! But somehow, I just adapted to this person’s opinion.” (Ex, if you’re reading this—awkward, right?)
But wait, the plot thickens. When Angelina finally mustered the courage to tackle some vocal training, she found out something mind-blowing: she’s actually a soprano! “I thought I had a low voice my whole life,” she said, before recalling how her singing coach casually shattered her world like, “Nope, you’re a soprano. Surprise!”
She was stunned. Shocked. Possibly considering a new career in Phantom of the Opera. “That was very strange,” she said, probably while staring dramatically into the distance like she was waiting for the wind machine to kick in.
Now, let’s talk about the prep work, because if you thought getting ready for an opera role just meant a few scales and some “la la la”s, you’re way off. “Months of singing classes,” she said. MONTHS. And Italian classes. And voice training. “You try to be precise,” she explained, as if learning to sing like an operatic legend in a different language is something we’ve all got penciled into our schedules.
But here’s the kicker—Angelina recommends opera class for everyone. That’s right, guys, next time you’re bored of yoga, just enroll in your local opera course. Why? Because apparently, there’s nothing quite like screaming your lungs out in a room full of strangers. “To exist and never have sung with your full body as loud as you could possibly sing—it’s something I think we should all feel,” she advised, casually offering up this intense emotional experience like it’s the new CrossFit.
But don’t think it was all high notes and hallelujahs. In fact, Angie admits she had a full-on emotional meltdown during her first class. “I was sad. I was scared,” she confessed, describing the moment like a scene out of Black Swan. The instructor, clearly used to this kind of opera-induced breakdown, simply said, “OK, take a deep breath, and let it out.” And that’s when Angelina Jolie—mother, actress, humanitarian—cried her way into vocal freedom.
“You discover how much we lock our pain in our bodies,” she said. Apparently, our voices are out here, like, “Hey, you’ve got trauma, and we’re gonna make sure EVERYONE knows about it.” Stomach aches? That’s your pain in a tight ball. Shoulders up to your ears? Oh yeah, that’s emotional baggage too.
So, what’s the lesson here? If you’ve got some unresolved feelings, maybe skip the therapy session and sign up for opera lessons. Just imagine it now: you, standing on a stage, belting your heart out to the tune of “O mio babbino caro,” shedding tears as you unlock the diva within.
