You wouldn't know it from watching her films, but Angelina Jolie says she's never felt comfortable in front of the camera. And now that she's fallen in love with directing, Jolie says she plans on retiring from acting. While discussing her upcoming film, Unbroken, with DuJour, Jolie revealed that her second directorial effort has made her more passionate about directing than she's ever been about acting.
"I’ve never been comfortable as an actor; I’ve never loved being in front of the camera," Jolie says. "I didn’t ever think I could direct, but I hope I’m able to have a career at it because I’m much happier."
Is the plan to give up acting entirely?
She smiles. "Absolutely."
Unbroken will tell the story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete whose second career in the Air Force included living on a raft for 47 days after a plane crash and surviving a Japanese POW camp for two years. Filming proved to be equally grueling while portraying Zamperini as a world-class athlete and as a famished survivor. Jolie had to ignore her motherly instinct while pushing leading actor Jack O’Connell and the rest of the cast to their limits. When she had a hard time being a hardass on an already brutal day, the film's military advisor showed her how it's done.
"He made everybody come to attention and then made them start doing push-ups,” she says, her eyes unbelievingly wide even months later. "I thought, Oh no, but they did the push-ups and were tested and pressed and had purpose, and 10 minutes later they were all smiling."
If you're freaked about by the idea of not seeing Jolie on-screen anymore, you don't have to worry yet. By the Sea is on its way, with Jolie directing and acting alongside hubbie Brad Pitt.
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[via DuJour]
