VENICE, Italy -- Angelina Jolie has played an evil queen, a war correspondent, a hacker, an international spy and a sociopath and is now adding opera singer to her resume.

It’s not just any opera singer, either: Jolie portrays the iconic soprano Maria Callas in a new film from Chilean director Pablo Larraín. "Maria" will debut in competition at the Venice Film Festival Thursday night.

Larraín, a frequent presence at Venice, continues his exploration of the lives of renowned women with tragic backstories. In 2016, he brought to the festival his portrait of Jackie Kennedy, “Jackie,” starring Natalie Portman as the first lady in the aftermath of her husband’s assassination. In 2021, he returned with Kristen Stewart playing Princess Diana as she considered divorce over the Christmas holiday in “Spencer.” Both films garnered best actress Oscar nominations for their leads.

“Maria” is considered the final installment in this trilogy of historical women, although Callas might be less familiar to younger generations who weren’t around for her headlines and scandals. Born Maria Kalogeropoulos, to Greek parents in New York, she made her professional debut in Athens at the age of 17.

During her short life, she became one of the greatest opera singers of all time, renowned for her unmatched voice and stage presence. However, her fame also brought intense public scrutiny, from her demanding nature and perceived "diva" behavior to her weight and romantic life. Callas famously had a relationship with shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, who later left her for Jackie Kennedy.

She died in Paris at age 53 after a heart attack.

Larraín told Vanity Fair that Jolie spent six months preparing for the role. The singing in the film, which reportedly focuses on the final week of her life in 1977, is a mix of the actress's voice and the real thing.

Jolie has been nominated for acting Oscars twice. She won for her supporting role in “Girl, Interrupted," and was last nominated for her leading role in Clint Eastwood's “Changeling."

“Maria” was recently acquired by Netflix for distribution.

Jolie is expected to leave Venice before her ex-husband Brad Pitt arrives for the premiere of his film “Wolfs” on Sunday. Despite being legally single since 2019, they are still in legal proceedings regarding issues like custody, finances, and a winery in France.

"Maria" is one of the 21 movies contending for prizes at the festival , which will be revealed on Sept. 7.

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