Angelina Jolie on the One Movie She Hopes Is Never Made: “Let’s Hope There Isn’t”

Why a Biopic About Jolie Is Off the Table

Angelina Jolie has inhabited some of cinema’s most memorable characters — from her Oscar-winning turn in Girl, Interrupted to the fearless Lara Croft and, most recently, the celebrated portrayal of opera legend Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s Maria. But when it comes to the idea of a film about her own life, the actress has one clear answer: absolutely not.

“That gets the most insane question award,” Jolie told reporters during a Maria press junket. “When you’re a public person and you’re playing [someone else], you’re conscious of how you would hate for somebody to interpret your life or think they understand your life… Let’s hope there isn’t one about my life.”

A Life Already Lived Under the Spotlight

For Jolie, the thought of her own story being dramatized isn’t just uncomfortable — it’s deeply personal. Born into Hollywood royalty as the daughter of actor Jon Voight, she’s been in the public eye since childhood. Her strained relationship with her father, which has played out in headlines over the years, included public disagreements over politics, as well as her decision to drop his surname.

Add to that her candor about mental health struggles — including depression, suicidal thoughts, and self-harm — and it’s not hard to see why she’d bristle at the thought of someone else controlling that narrative. Too often, she’s said, these issues have been met with judgment or outright dismissal from both the media and people close to her.

Complexity, Misinterpretation, and Privacy

Jolie’s wariness stems from the very issues she navigated in portraying Maria Callas. In Maria, she approached the role with careful consideration, aware of the responsibility that comes with depicting a real person’s life. “We tried to be thoughtful,” she said — a courtesy she fears might not be extended to her own story.

The idea of reliving — and watching others reinterpret — her most painful moments for public consumption is, understandably, one she rejects outright.

A Career That Speaks for Itself

Despite her battles with invasive media coverage, legal disputes with ex-husband Brad Pitt, and periods of Hollywood estrangement, Jolie’s career remains a testament to her resilience. Early acclaim in Gia and Girl, Interrupted cemented her as a generational talent, while her blockbuster roles made her a global icon. Now, with Maria generating awards-season buzz, she’s reclaiming her place in the industry on her own terms.

Jolie’s stance on a potential biopic is more than just personal preference — it’s a pointed reminder about boundaries in a culture eager to commodify celebrity lives. And while the appetite for behind-the-scenes stories shows no signs of slowing, her message is clear: some lives, no matter how public, deserve to remain private.