Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie confronts one of her greatest fears on screen in the French film “Couture”, receiving a cancer diagnosis. Inspired by the personal experiences of writer and director Alice Winocour, the movie follows Jolie as Maxine Walker, a fictional American filmmaker who learns she has breast cancer while producing a film for a Paris Fashion Week runway show.
Jolie’s connection to the story is deeply personal. Her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died of breast cancer at 56, and in 2013 Jolie chose to undergo a preventive double mastectomy after discovering she carried the same genetic mutation.
“I thought a lot about my mother and how meaningful this film might have been for her when she was going through that,” Jolie told Reuters. But her motivation extended beyond honoring her mother. She wanted to share Walker’s emotional journey with audiences. “We’ve all had that moment, whether it’s cancer or something else, when news changes the course of our lives,” said the “Maria” actor.
One of the most challenging moments for Jolie came during a scene in which an oncologist marked surgical lines on her chest. “It was strange to feel like Hollywood had entered my hospital room,” she said. “There I was in my gown, getting my needles, doing everything I normally do — but now sharing it. It made me feel incredibly vulnerable.”
The cast of “Couture” also features Anyier Anei as Ada, a model grappling with the pressures of an industry that places her on a pedestal, and Ella Rumpf as Angele, a make-up artist striving to leave the fashion world behind to pursue writing.
Jolie hopes each character’s journey resonates with viewers. “What we discovered while making this — and what I hope audiences feel — is that we’re connected,” said the 51-year-old. “We’re connected as human beings, and we all face something. That connection is essential to help us navigate being human.”
“Couture” opens in U.S. theaters on Friday.
