This awards season, Laverne Cox has one movie on her mind.
“The movie I’m obsessed with right now is Maria starring Angelina Jolie,” Cox, 52, reveals exclusively in her What I’m Obsessed With feature in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now. “I’m an opera girl. I love opera. I love Maria Callas. I love Angelina Jolie. I love that she did her own singing. Brilliant.”
Maria, directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Steven Knight, is a biopic focused on legendary opera singer Maria Callas — particularly, the seven days before her 1977 death as she reflects on her life and career.
The film premiered at Venice International Film Festival in August 2024 and hit Netflix in December 2024. While Jolie, 49, was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance, she was ultimately snubbed an Oscar nomination.
Angelina Jolie’s Sons Saw ‘Pain’ She Normally ‘Hides’ on ‘Maria’ Set
Yet, Cox is correct: Jolie did all her own singing for the film. Her vocal coach, Eric Vetro, spoke to Us about her training last year.
“Angelina never sang at all, even avoiding singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in a group initially, [which] made it feel like a daunting task,” he said of Jolie’s journey, which included working together for over two hours at a time, several times a week for seven months. “She is a force of nature in the very best way and throws herself fully into whatever it is she is wanting to achieve, so I had no doubt at all that she would be able to pull it off. She also had developed a great love of opera and a deep respect for Maria Callas, and so I think that helped drive her dedication to getting it right.”
Keep scrolling for more of Cox’s latest obsessions, including the album she has on repeat:
Angelina Jolie Is So Elegant in Black Dress at the Venice Film Festival
Brené Brown
“[The book I’m obsessed with is] Daring Greatly [How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead] by Brené Brown,” the Clean Slate star told Us. “I mean, really everything by Brené Brown. Her work on shame and vulnerability has changed my life and I think it’s what we all need right now.”
‘The Laverne Cox Show’
When you’re a successful multihyphenate like Cox, you can’t be afraid of a little self-promo.
“‘The Laverne Cox Show’ is available everywhere you get your podcasts,” she told Us of the podcast she’s currently obsessed with.
‘Renaissance’
“Who listens to albums anymore?” Cox joked before going on to admit: “I do!”
As for the album she’s obsessed with — there’s a clear winner: “Renaissance by Beyoncé,” she said. “Because it’s Beyoncé. Oh, my God. It’s everything.”
‘Ozark’
Cox is no stranger to a rewatch of a fave.
“I just rewatched Ozark,” she said of her current TV favorite. “Obsessed!”
With reporting by Lexi Carson
