Angelina Jolie's shocking performance in Maria resembles Bradley Cooper's celebrated role in 2023. Pablo Larraín's Maria seems to pull a lot of inspiration from last year's favorite musical biopic — not only by trying to honor the controversial artist at its center but also by displaying beautiful visuals that emulate its eras' aesthetics. Larraín's movie might even repeat last year's numerous nominations, as early reviews for Maria reveal an admiration for its clever cinematographic language which echoes its protagonist’s inner journey.
Jolie leads Maria's cast with the elegance of a true Diva, fitting the role of La Callas as if it was destined for her. Though Maria's ending appropriately leans toward tragedy, a contemporary moviehas its fair share of heartbreak, mainly as it portrays Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre's famous marriage and legacy. Despite featuring groundbreaking musicians who had to endure media and public scrutiny through their personal struggles,both movies care to convey their subject's truth even above their many accomplishments.
After Maria, Watch Netflix's 2023 Biopic Maestro
Maria & Maestro See Their Artists Falling Victims To Their Gifts
As Maria reaches Netflix’s top 10 two days after its release, those craving a similar story might enjoy Maestro, the streaming platform's original movie about Leonard Bernstein’s life. With Maestro, his second venture as director and writer, Bradley Cooper immerses himself in the life of America's most esteemed orchestra conductor. Similar to Maria, Cooper's film begins at the end and then flashes back to showcase the artist's many professional breakthroughs, which are inherently connected to his tumultuous yet endearing relationship with actress Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). The narrative of both artfully bends and develops to mirror the character's dreams and afflictions.
As depicted in Maestro, here is a detailed breakdown of all the milestones in musician Leonard Bernstein's life with his wife, Felicia Montealegre.
The famed composer's statement, "music keeps me glued to life," parallels Maria's declaration that "there is no life away from the stage," and establishes them as kindred spirits. Drawing from Maria Callas' true story, Larraín portrays the opera singer's fall from grace and her obsessive quest to reclaim her stolen voice. Similarly, Bernstein often grappled with reconciling his public persona with his free-spirited yet perfectionist artistic nature. While one character must be secretive, the other gives away too much, making Cooper and Jolie's roles nearly opposite sides of the same coin.
Maria Has A Great Opportunity To Redeem Maestro's Oscars Disappointments
Jolie's Golden Globe Nomination Hints At A Possible Oscar Win For Maria
Despite receiving seven Oscar nominations — standing out in the Directing, Makeup, Original Screenplay, Sound, Cinematography, and Leading Actor and Actress categories — Maestro had no wins. Although Maria's one Golden Globe nomination for acting seems small compared to Cooper’s various acknowledgments, Jolie's biopic still has the potential to stand out in the Oscars lineup and even take home a couple of wins. Notably, Larraín's movie is a strong contender for Best Cinematography and Best Makeup and Hairstyling, featuring the work of Ed Lachman (El Conde) and Heike Merker (All Quiet on the Western Front).
Golden Globe 2025 Best Lead Actress Nominations
Name
Picture
Pamela Anderson
The Last Showgirl
Angelina Jolie
Maria
Nicole Kidman
Babygirl
Tilda Swinton
The Room Next Door
Fernanda Torres
I'm Still Here
Kate Winslet
Lee
Additionally, Maria completes Larraín's trilogy of movies, all of which have garnered critical acclaim. Despite their shared themes, however, Maria might be more similar to Maestro than to its sister predecessors, benefiting from a soundtrack featuring the affecting songs of Maria Callas. Like Bernstein'sfamous compositions in Maestro, La Callas' angelic arias contribute to its film's enthralling language. No matter the category, the director's past nominations for Jackie and Spencer indicate that his long-awaited Oscar victory is possibly close at hand, and Jolie seems poised to be the key player in making this a reality.
Maestro is a biographical drama about the famous composer Leonard Bernstein. Bradley Cooper stars as Leonard Bernstein and also wrote and directed the film. The movie chronicles Bernstein's life from 1946, when he met Felicia Montealegre, through his two engagements and three children. Maya Hawke, Carey Mulligan, Sarah Silverman, and Matt Bomer star alongside Cooper.
Maria (2024) is a biographical drama about opera singer Maria Callas, directed by Pablo Larraín, starring Angelina Jolie. It concludes Larraín's trilogy on iconic women.
Release Date November 27, 2024
Runtime 123 Minutes
CastAngelina Jolie , Pierfrancesco Favino , Alba Rohrwacher , Haluk Bilginer , Kodi Smit-McPhee , Valeria Golino , Stephen Ashfield , Alessandro Bressanello , Vincent Macaigne , Lydia Korniordou , Rebecka Johnston , Botond Bartus , Marcell Lengyel , Philipp Droste , Jeremy Wheeler , Luca Gréta Felhalmi , Zora Gerda Fejes , Kay Madsen , Toma Hrisztov , Christiana Aloneftis , Aggelina Papadopoulou
Custom Image by Cece Montemayor
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English (US) ·