Angelina Jolie shared her feelings of vulnerability while working on the film Couture, a story closely connected to her family’s history with breast cancer. The actress discussed this personal journey during the movie’s premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), emphasizing the hope and resilience found in portraying a character facing similar struggles.
Angelina Jolie’s Deep Connection to the Story in Couture
Set against the backdrop of Paris Fashion Week, Couture follows a mother and filmmaker dealing with both divorce and a breast cancer diagnosis. Jolie found the role especially poignant since the storyline mirrors her own family’s battle with cancer. The actress underwent a preventive double mastectomy in 2013 after discovering she carried the BRCA1 gene mutation. Her late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, alongside close family members like her aunt and grandmother, all succumbed to breast or ovarian cancer.
Reflecting on the emotional weight of the project in an interview with Variety, Jolie expressed how personal the film felt to her. She described the experience as “very vulnerable” and noted how the film almost felt too intimate to be just a movie.
I felt very vulnerable. […] I feel like it’s such a personal film. It felt so private that in my mind, it’s probably the one film that doesn’t feel like a film.
—Angelina Jolie, Actress
To cope with this vulnerability, Jolie sought solace by wearing one of her mother’s necklaces during filming, which helped her maintain a connection to her family’s legacy throughout the process.
The Healing Power of Shared Experience on Set
Though vulnerable, Jolie also viewed the time working on Couture as healing. She acknowledged that diving into such a heavy and personal topic inevitably stirred up many feelings, but the supportive environment on set provided comfort. Jolie highlighted the bond that formed among the cast and crew, brought together by their shared experiences with cancer, whether personally or through loved ones.
I have always found the heaviest films tend to have the most loving sets. There’s something quite comforting about having real conversations and having real feelings with a shared community. It was quite healing in many ways because you look at the other faces of the people on the set, because one in three people have cancer, and most everybody’s been in a hospital room with somebody they’ve loved. Everybody on set has lost someone they’ve loved.
—Angelina Jolie, Actress
This sense of empathy and connection strengthened their performances and relationships during filming. Jolie added that confronting life’s fragility brought the team closer together.
You recognize that life is fragile and time goes quickly, and people pass away that we can’t imagine the world could exist without… It’s hard not to feel very close to a crew and other actors in this kind of a piece.
—Angelina Jolie, Actress
The movie’s emotional core includes Jolie’s character, Maxine, being urged by her doctor to undergo a double mastectomy after her cancer diagnosis, a plot point that resonated deeply with the actress’s own life experience.
Angelina Jolie Offers a Compassionate Message for Cancer Patients
During the premiere event on September 7, Jolie spoke candidly and emotionally about the realities cancer patients face, recalling an impactful moment with her mother. When dinner guests repeatedly asked her mother about her cancer, she expressed frustration that the illness seemed to consume all conversations.
All anybody ever asks me about is cancer.
—Marcheline Bertrand, Late Mother of Angelina Jolie
This insight helped Jolie realize the importance of seeing cancer patients as whole individuals beyond their diagnosis. She urges others to recognize the many aspects of their lives that remain vibrant and meaningful.
So I would say, if you know someone who is going through something, ask them about everything else in their life as well, you know? They’re a whole person, and they’re still living.
—Angelina Jolie, Actress
This message of hope underlines Jolie’s commitment to changing how society views those affected by cancer, encouraging empathy and acknowledgment of their full humanity.
About Couture and Its Creative Team
Couture is written and directed by Alice Winocour and features a talented ensemble including Louis Garrel, Ella Rumpf, and Garance Marillier, alongside Angelina Jolie. Although the film’s official release date has not yet been announced, its premiere at TIFF has already sparked significant attention.
The movie’s portrayal of a woman navigating complicated personal and health challenges during a high-profile fashion event offers a nuanced look at strength, vulnerability, and survival. Jolie’s willingness to expose her own vulnerabilities makes this project stand out as a deeply resonant and hopeful cinematic experience for audiences worldwide.
