"She really is a living legend" - Fans rally behind Angelina Jolie's Oscar quest as actress tears up over standing ovation 

Actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian Angelina Jolie received an 8-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival venue Sala Grande Theater, on the night of Thursday, August 29, after the global premiere of her latest film Maria.

While the audience was moved by her performance, applauding and cheering her name and saying “Bravo!” in the background, the 49-year-old actress was overwhelmed by emotion and appeared to be wiping away her tears. Subsequently, she hugged the film’s director Pablo Larrain, and her co-stars, before thanking everyone and bowing to the crowd.

The video of the heartfelt moment has now gone viral, with the internet lauding Angelina Jolie and rallying behind her Oscar quest. For instance, X user @ratedpaulie commented on Pop Base’s repost of the clip by writing:

“She really is a living legend.”

Several others joined the conversation and shared similar reactions.

“That's what I call getting the recognition you deserve,” a fan wrote.

“An icon and a legend,” another fan wrote.

Others called for an Oscar for her performance in Maria.

“Hope she gets the Oscar,” a person wrote.

“Her Oscar narrative begins,” one person wrote.

“This woman just pulled the performance of a lifetime, Angelina Jolie, we’re getting you that Oscar,” another person wrote.

Meanwhile, others continued to praise her acting skills calling her a “star,” and even drawing comparisons to Brendan Fraser, who made a comeback with the Oscar-winning Best Actor performance in the 2022 film The Whale. Notably, Fraser too received a similar standing ovation for his role after its screening at the Venice Film Festival.

“Team Angelina all the way! Woman has always been a star. Glad she is making her way back to the films where she can really flex her skills,” a netizen wrote.

“I was looking at this video and you can see how overwhelmed and gracious Angelina Jolie is and just like Brendan Fraser was, they both come across so shy & humble persons. I hope Angelina Jolie like Brendan Fraser gets all the accolades she richly deserves,” wrote another.

For those unaware, Angelina Jolie won the Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars for her performance in the 2000 movie Girl Interrupted. Later, in 2009, she was nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Actress category for her role in Clint Eastwood’s Changeling.

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All you need to know about Angelina Jolie’s Maria

The 2024 biographical psychological drama Maria is based on the life of the legendary Greek opera singer Maria Callas. As per its official description, the movie narrates a

“tumultuous, beautiful, and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singer, relived and re-imagined during her final days in 1970s Paris.”

It is directed by Pablo Larrain, written by Steven Knight, and produced by Fremantle. The film stars Angelina Jolie in the titular role, alongside Pierfrancesco Favino, Valeria Golino, Alba Rohrwacher, and Haluk Bilginer in supporting roles. Slated to release on Netflix later this year, it premiered at the 81st Venice International Film Festival on Thursday night, where it is currently contending for the Golden Lion honor. The lead actress earned a standing ovation following the screening.

Ahead of the world premiere, Angelina Jolie graced the red carpet in a custom-made Tama Ralph stone-chiffon beige gown with a faux fur stole wrapped around her neck, silk chiffon gloves, and a gold flower brooch by Cartier. Once inside the venue, she interacted with fans, posed for selfies, and even signed autographs. The mother of six won hearts when she met a fan with brittle bone disease and even knelt beside him for photographs.

Angelina Jolie also appeared at a press conference in Venice where she shared her experience with the filming of Maria.

"I felt such a privilege to feel like I got to know this woman and got to be inside her skin a moment. I really care for her deeply. I think I’ll carry that like a friend. When I put her big glasses on, and her Greek hair and I sat in my little robe as an older lady, I felt a (Maria) that felt like the private (Maria) that the world didn’t know. And I connected to her first, and kind of loved her,” she shared.

Angelina Jolie recalled how “terribly nervous” she was about learning opera and “spent almost seven months training.” When asked about the Oscar buzz going around, the actress noted that the she wanted to resonate with Maria Callas' fans and also with “those who love opera.” She added that she would be grateful if any other honor comes along, such as an Oscar.