Angelina Jolie takes on the role of her life as a famous opera singer

After years behind the camera, Angelina Jolie is taking on the role of a lifetime in her latest project.

The actress will play the role of Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín's biopic about the legendary American-born Greek opera singer.

The soprano was widely considered the greatest opera singer of the 20th century, but her life was marked by the tragic songs she sang before her death at the age of just 53. Here's what we know about the project so far:

Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas

Angelia vowed to do everything in her power to meet the enormous task of bringing Callas' legacy to the screen.

“I take the responsibility for Maria's life and legacy very seriously. I will do everything I can to meet the challenge,” she said when news of the biopic was announced.

Angelina also expressed her admiration for the director, saying that she has “admired him for a long time.”

The director

Pablo Larraín is known for bringing the tragic stories of some of the world's most famous women to the screen, from Princess Diana in Spencer to Jacqueline Kennedy in Jackie, but this project is very special for the director, who is a huge opera fan.

“Having the chance to combine my two great and personal passions, cinema and opera, has been a long-awaited dream,” he said. “To do this with Angelina, an extremely brave and curious artist, is a fascinating opportunity. A true gift.”

Who else is involved in the project?

In addition to Angelina in the lead role, the cast announced so far includes Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Valeria Golino.

What else do we know?

Larraín shared two first images from the production of Angelina as Maria and the similarities between the two are striking.

We also know that Kristen Stewart and Natalie Portman were nominated for Best Actress Oscars for their work on the director's last two projects, so we can expect great things from his portrayal of Maria's life.

When will the film be released in cinemas?

It's not yet clear when Maria will hit theaters, but the film will premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September 2024. According to Town & Country, it will stream on Netflix.