DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

Angelina Jolie's 'People of Nobody' tops Taiwan chart, resonates with personal experiences

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Sources not specified Context piece
  • Angelina Jolie's French film "People of Nobody" topped the MyVideo movie chart in its first week.
  • The film's themes of a director facing marital crisis and a breast cancer diagnosis resonated with Jolie's personal experiences.
  • Jolie, whose mother died of breast cancer, underwent a preventative double mastectomy in 2013 due to a BRCA1 gene mutation.

Hollywood star Angelina Jolie's French film "People of Nobody" has secured the top spot on the MyVideo movie chart in Taiwan during its debut week. In the film, Jolie portrays an American director working at Paris Fashion Week whose marriage is crumbling, only to be diagnosed with breast cancer, a storyline that deeply intersects with her own life.

Everyone always only asks me about cancer.

— Jolie's motherJolie cited this sentiment from her mother as a reason for wanting her character to be more than just a patient.

Jolie's mother passed away from breast cancer at age 56. The actress herself carries a BRCA1 gene mutation and underwent a preventative double mastectomy in 2013. She described the scene where a doctor draws surgical lines on her chest as intensely vulnerable, feeling as though she was bringing Hollywood into her personal experiences.

Inspired by her mother's sentiment that people always asked her about cancer, Jolie insisted her character not be defined solely as a patient. Instead, she aimed to portray a complete woman who maintains her work, emotions, desires, and choices.

It was like bringing Hollywood into my own life.

— Angelina JolieDescribing her feelings while filming a scene where a doctor draws surgical lines on her chest.

To embody the character's long-term life in France, Jolie tackled numerous French lines, adjusting her pronunciation, intonation, and physical rhythm. Director Alice Winocour praised Jolie's performance, noting she was so natural that audiences might forget they were watching a Hollywood star. Jolie stated that "People of Nobody" is not about the end of life, but about a woman reigniting her will to live, encapsulating the film's spirit with "Live life" and hoping those facing illness, loss, or hardship can seize every moment.

Live life

— Angelina JolieSummarizing the spirit of the film 'People of Nobody'.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog