The Hollywood star is one of the most sought-after and highest-paid actresses in the world. However, despite her many awards for her work, Angelina Jolie often felt insecure. Jolie played the opera singer Maria Callas in the biographical drama Maria. She confessed that she was filled with doubts as she began filming the movie.

“Nobody ever took me seriously as an actress. It was a challenge. As artists, you want to take on things you’re afraid of when you’re not sure you can do them. You think about old interviews where you could have had a more meaningful conversation. I watched old interviews with Callas, and she would talk for hours about her work. No one ever did that for me. She was taken seriously,” Jolie complained.

The actress stated that while working in Hollywood can bring fame and money, creative moments are of little interest to most. Filming the movie about the opera diva rekindled her love for acting. “I don’t allow myself to just enjoy being an actress. It’s a gift to live the life of an artist, and this role helped me rediscover the art and the profession. I’m rediscovering it thanks to Maria,” she noted in an interview with Radio Times.

The Oscar winner admitted that preparing for the role of Callas was tough for her. She spent seven months working on her vocals to look natural while singing on stage. “You really can’t pretend to sing opera. It doesn’t work. To make it work, you have to use your whole body. The thing with opera is that you need to sing pretty loudly. There were times when everyone left so I could sing loud. I wasn’t sure I was ready for that level of truth and suffering. I see that Maria loved her work, but I also see that she felt pressure and pain.”

By the way, the former wife of Brad Pitt’s doubts turned out to be unfounded. For this role, Angelina has been nominated for a Golden Globe for the ninth time, often seen as a rehearsal for the Oscars. Jolie is nominated in the “Best Actress in a Drama” category, where she will compete against Pamela Anderson (The Last Dance), Nicole Kidman (Million Dollar Baby), Tilda Swinton (The Girl Next Door), Fernanda Torres (I Am Still Here), and Kate Winslet (Lee).