First Images of Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas Unveiled as Pablo Larrain’s ‘Maria’ Begins Shoot

The first two images of Angelina Jolie as famed diva Maria Callas in Pablo Larrain‘s upcoming biopic Maria have been revealed.

Based on true accounts, the film will tell the tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singers, relived and re-imagined during her final days in 1970s Paris. With the independent production having signed to a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, the shoot is now set to start, and will take place over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan.

Alongside Jolie, the cast also includes Pierfrancesco Favino (Adagio, The Hummingbird), Alba Rohrwacher (La Chimera, Hungry Hearts), Haluk Bilginer (Winter Sleep), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog, Elvis) and Valeria Golino (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Caos Calmo).

The script, which was completed prior to the WGA strike, is written by Steven Knight (Spencer, Peaky Blinders, Eastern Promises). Producers include Juan de Dios Larraín for Fabula, Jonas Dornbach for Komplizen Film and Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment, a Fremantle Company. Worldwide sales for Maria will be handled by FilmNation Entertainment.

“I am incredibly excited to start production on Maria, which I hope will bring Maria Callas’s remarkable life and work to audiences all around the world, thanks to the magnificent script by Steven Knight, the work of the entire cast and crew, and especially, Angelina’s brilliant work and extraordinary preparation,” said Larrain, who recently premiered his dark comedy-horror El Conde in Venice.

According to the producers, Jolie’s costumes in the film are based on original garments worn by Callas. The production has consulted with animal rights groups including PETA regarding the use of vintage fur items worn in the film from costume designer Massimo Cantini Parrini’s archive collection. A conscious decision was made not to use or source any new fur.