Let’s be honest – when it comes to Hollywood, the intersection of beauty and power is seldom just visual. Angelina Jolie’s casting call for “Maleficent” went against that convention. They did her costume makeup first. A radical move right? Especially considering Angelina would eventually step into the iconic horns and green tones associated with fantasy’s ultimate powerhouse villain, not just be the voice. The idea, at least as far as director Robert Stromberg is concerned, wasn’t intimidation – it was empowerment. He believed seeing Maleficent embodied physically helped to shift perspectives not only for him but for other actors auditioning for crucial roles on set. This meant potential rivals of Angela wouldn’t automatically see the queen of film’s power and think twice, no – this time her role was laid bare, almost like a challenge, a chance for her to interact with the character first. It’s not hard to then connect those narrative dots and understand why someone with that bold edge: who didn’t feel intimidated by Jolie in costume, would be selected for a similar type of rebellious energy.Enter Vivienne Jolie Pitt – yes, THAT daughter
At times, parental ties in acting can lead to criticism for “nepotism”, where talent is favored due to a connection rather than raw skill; however; seeing Vivvie land her moment beside Maleficent (the villain that could be seen as Angelina’s signature archetype?) has an interesting edge. While her youth is one aspect of the casting’s dynamic, it points beyond those conventional concerns. A deeper layer emerges where Vivvie embodies a boldness, not by battling Angie on a perceived power scale, but by choosing to play directly against.
Vivienne doesn’t attempt a “rival queen” type energy – she’s Aurielle. Vivvie’s interpretation embraces innocent hope, trust… qualities that Maleficent battles. The casting was practically defying Hollywood tropes about motherhood narratives in this age of superheroes and female action flicks: Vivvi playing the ‘innocent opposite’, but not in a traditional, helpless light. Her performance reflects that; she matches Jolie’s fierce energy with an unwavering spark of pure wonder, even as danger presses close.
The power lies then NOT between the Jolie-Jolie Pitt relationship on set. They’ve flipped Hollywood’s standard parent narrative: instead of one overshadowing the other (as often occurs), both actors create layers that enrich the film’s themes about good versus evil not within Angelina’s ‘power structure’, but how those structures are subverted.
Living proof: Angelina wasn’t simply fighting for casting space on an already crowded “villain woman” scene — she fought for her own, unique form of representation in that space
Vivienne’s innocence stands proudly AGAINST it (think Maleficent battling magic against nature’s pure light). Together, both actresses show the power within femininity – not just physical dominance like classic heroines – but from different sources entirely.. .a dynamic that goes FAR beyond their family context.
These aren’t simply “A mother plays a mom”, and their kids fill small roles narratives Hollywood tends towards; it’s about subverting preconceptions of powerful women and the ways those identities are (often wrongly) packaged
The true “story behind casting” was this: finding a girl not daunted by Jolie in costume, but someone in harmony with something uniquely powerful she had created — even if young Vivvii hadn’t fully honed cinematic mastery her character needed courage – the most dangerous weapon a child could wield near the real ‘villain’ Maleficent herself?
Vivienne ultimately succeeded, perhaps even unwittingly exceeding expectations by mirroring that bravery in full. This ‘family film’ aspect of Maleficent went FAR beyond simple good intentions; Angie and Viv vie for their distinct kinds of dominance; one earned, one emerging. It makes for not only a powerful on-screen family dynamic.. it creates layers in film discourse we rarely see.
