What Angelina Jolie’s Netflix Callas Biopic 'Maria' Gets Right and What it Gets Wrong

Pablo Larraín, who is known for his intimate, character-driven biopics like Jackie and Spencer—which follow international icons Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Diana, Princess of Wales, respectively—continues his exploration of complex, larger-than-life women with 2024’s Maria. A portrayal of the final days of Maria Callas, possibly the most iconic opera singer of the 20th century, Maria stars Angelina Jolie as the titular chanteuse, a role that has been considered one of Jolie's best performances. But, given the criticism levied at the artistic interpretation in his previous biopics, it’s important to ask: how much of Maria is rooted in truth, and how much is Larraín’s interpretation?