Ever since her first leading role in 1995’s Hackers, Angelina Jolie has had a thriving acting career. Jolie’s best film roles show her unique ability to play versatile characters whether it’s fearless hero Lara Croft, a deeply dramatic lead in Changeling, or her Oscar-winning role as sociopath Lisa Rowe in Girl, Interrupted. While women in Hollywood experience a change in roles as they age, Jolie explained why it’s different for her and how her new movie Maria taught her how it’s “easier for actors” than other entertainment professions.
As women age in Hollywood, roles tend to be limited with a drawn-out bias in the entertainment industry. You tend to see aging actresses play characters that are either mothers, grandmothers or villains. Fortunately, 49-year-old Angelina Jolie told The Sunday Times (via US Weekly) that her Hollywood experience has been the opposite of many actresses, as she feels that she’s leveled up:
I’ve got better work as I’ve got older. I don’t think about it in terms of roles offered but in terms of life experience you contribute.
Angelina Jolie has a point that big life experiences can help you relate better to your characters which helps portray them. The “loving” relationship she has with her six children must have helped her play maternal roles in Maleficent and Changeling flawlessly. You could even argue that Jolie’s understanding of human rights issues as a Special Envoy for the UNHCR helped her direct the intense Netflix movie First They Killed My Father. The Oscar winner proves that your acting career doesn’t have to be over once you’re over 40. There are still incredible roles out there ready for the taking.
The 2024 Netflix movie Maria stars Angelina Jolie as opera singer Maria Callas who, in her final years, struggled with her vocal abilities changing through aging. Through playing her Golden Globe-nominated role, the Wanted actress realized a big distinction between actors and other performance professions in Hollywood:
It’s easier for actors than singers or dancers because your body doesn’t change.
Singers indeed have to deal with either puberty setting in or aging affecting their voices. You have to hope that you can still hit your notes in a way that satisfies an audience. The same is true with dancers, where getting older affects their physical stamina, flexibility and any other physical demands. Actors don’t always have to worry about movement with the help of body doubles and they can lip-sync to prerecorded tracks if they need to. It’s all about portraying a character in the most convincing, possible way.
Other than being an aging star in the world of entertainment, Angelina Jolie spoke of relating to Maria Callas through her “commitment to her work” and being able to feel through her emotions. Jolie certainly worked hard on this Netflix biopic by taking singing and Italian lessons for the part. It’s no wonder that Barry Jenkins compared the talented actress’s Netflix movie to the same caliber as Malcolm X. You may even be able to hear bits of her singing voice blended in with the famed opera singer in the film’s final score.
The Unbroken director also said she lives through her “communication” with her audience, just like Callas did. Audiences and award shows being able to resonate with Jolie’s work shows what a profound effect she has on those who watch her.
Angelina Jolie really is a fortunate Hollywood figure in not having to succumb to the same roles aging actresses tend to get. With it being “easier” for Jolie to be an actress and not worrying about body changes impacting her profession, the successful star’s career is sure to keep thriving. The 2024 movie release of Maria is now available to watch with your Netflix subscription.