Angelina Jolie faced apprehension about a swimming scene in the film "By the Sea" as it was her first one following her 2013 double mastectomy.
In a recent interview with the New York Times, Jolie openly discussed her surgery, but she was anxious about the scene in her new film.
"There were lots of scenes I wanted to change or cut. I realized it was going to be me in that bathtub. But I told myself, put all of that aside. Like, you can't change or cut this scene because you've had a mastectomy, or because we're married and people are going to analyze this or that. That would be cheating," she said.
"By the Sea" features Jolie and her husband, Brad Pitt, as a vacationing couple attempting to save their marriage. It marks their first collaboration since "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" in 2005.
Jolie emphasized that both she and Pitt are far from flawless. "If people think these are our particular issues, well, that's wrong. But if they want to think we have terrible fights, are imperfect, have insecurities, and can be depressed and emotional, of course, that's true. We have problems and arguments. We are two very human, flawed people. And I think that's a good thing to show," she explained.
Directing the film was challenging for Jolie due to her character's vulnerability, especially during the scenes with Pitt. "The duality - being a director, then having to become a person that vulnerable - would often be hard," she revealed. "There's a whole reel of me calling 'cut!' If a doctor saw it, I'd be put on medication. I'm hysterically crying and then calling 'cut!' or during a scene, I am calling 'cut!' on Brad. You had to laugh at how bizarre it was."
The film was shot in Malta shortly after Jolie and Pitt's marriage in August 2014. Initially, Jolie had doubts about the project, but through the challenges and disagreements during filming, they learned more about each other and developed a new working relationship, understanding that overcoming difficulties is part of the journey.
