Disney has provided me with an expense paid trip to Hollywood for the #MaleficentEvent and #FireAndRescueEvent in exchange for my review of the events of the trip. No other compensation is given. The opinions and experiences in my posts are 100% mine. You can read my full disclosure policy here.
On Monday May 19 I watched MALEFICENT in a theater in Los Angeles and left feeling…in awe. It was such an amazing movie, and those words don’t do it justice. Angelina Jolie is truly an incredible talent. She plays Maleficent perfectly and the day after the screening I had the opportunity to interview her about her role in the film.
Interviewing the biggest celebrity in Hollywood was a bit nerve-wracking but she immediately put the room of bloggers at ease with her friendly smile and easy conversation. And in case you’re wondering, she is as stunningly beautiful in person as she is on all of the magazine covers. It was refreshing to see how down-to-earth she is, always talking about her kids and the importance of motherhood.
Angelina told us that as a child she was always fascinated with Maleficent, this elegant, powerful woman who was having a great time. It was actually her brother who called her when rumors of a movie started circulating and told her she had to make a call to Disney to get in on it. Kudos to her brother! I can’t imagine anyone else in this role. And while Angelina was excited to star in a Disney film, she joked with writer Linda Woolverton how they’d ever create a character anyone could empathize with.
“I said, how could you possibly make a story where people have any connection to, or empathy for, somebody that curses a baby? It’s just, it’s going to be impossible. And I think she did an extraordinary job.” – Angelina Jolie
I can’t give the story away to explain how they did it, but they did it and they did it beautifully. Angelina said that when she read the script she was so moved by it and as a mother and a woman she felt very connected to it. Having seen the movie that all makes sense to me. When you see if you will understand more, too.
Of course we had to ask about the makeup and wardrobe! It took her about two and a half hours to get ready for filming for the day. Not too bad, she said, giving credit to the great team they had on set. She told us that they worked so hard to make sure that her headpiece wasn’t heavy and we all laughed when she told us why they had to make the horns detachable. “They also had detachable horns, partially for weight, and also because I kept knocking myself out. If I’d go out the door, because I was about seven and a half foot high, I’d contact something. So the first few days, I was just a complete mess.”
Her appearance as Maleficent is so perfect but it took some time to get there. They went in several different directions to find the perfect look and in the end decided that because so she was a real person, and so many scenes were highlighted with real human emotion, she needed enough makeup to be other wordly, but the soul needed to shine through. Nailed it. Not only did Angelina star in the film but after working on costume, stunts, effects, makeup and more they decided at some point that she was also an Executive Producer.
Really the thing I love most about Angelina is that she’s a mom first. She talked about her kids several times during the interview and really won me over (as if I wasn’t already) when she said she found her Maleficent voice by practicing on her kids while she was giving them baths. When she found a voice that interested them or made them laugh she knew she was onto something. Who knew Angelina Jolie was making funny voices for her kids while giving them baths, just like every other mom I know? Love that!
Speaking about her humanitarian efforts, Angelina stressed the importance of the role mothers have in shaping this world. Those of you that think you’re ‘just a mom’ need to hear this message:
“Every mom, the most important thing we do is we raise our children with love and compassion to become great people and thoughtful of others and that’s the most important thing. If everybody did just that, we’d have a very different world. Encourage our children’s education and help them to be conscious of the world around them. So I think mothers have the most powerful role.” – Angelina Jolie
When asked about how she juggles everything, she very humbly said that she has a lot of advantages that other mothers don’t and considers herself fortunate.
“Other mothers have it much harder than I do, and don’t have the means to have the assistance I do. I don’t feel like I, by any means, do anything exceptional. My mom was a single mom and she had a lot of difficulty and she gave up her dreams to make sure she could take me to my auditions and support me. And nobody acknowledged her for what she did, you know, so that was hard. But,you know, mine’s not too bad at all. I can’t complain.” – Angelina Jolie
Angelina shared with us that she is working with the Foreign Secretary of England on a conference that will be held from June 10-13 this summer. It’s called PSBI, and it’s the largest summit ever arranged to address ending sexual violence in conflict. All voices are needed to come together, not just governments and people with a platform to be heard, but everyone, to address this global issue. Moms, that’s us.
Here we all are with Angelina in the center. She took the time to shake hands and thank us before she moved on to her next interview. She really was so fun to talk to, so friendly and kind with the heart of a loving mother. I can’t wait for you to all see MALEFICENT!
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…on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. There is so much great film info including character posters, filmmaker bios, and fun games on the MALEFICENT website.
MALEFICENT starring Angelina Jolie hits theaters May 30!
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My interview with Angelina Jolie! She talks about #Maleficent, motherhood, and more. http://t.co/MbrRqH5uFQ #MaleficentEvent
— Lindsay (@PandorasDeals) May 23, 2014
Colleen (Souffle Bombay) says
What an awesome experience!! I can’t wait to see the movie!
Lindsay says
You’re going to LOVE it Colleen! It’s really the best movie I’ve seen in ages. Can’t wait for it to release so everyone can see it!