Angelina Jolie Behind the Lens: Will Hollywood Embrace a Sex Symbol Director?

By Moviefone Editors Posted May 22nd 2011 11:18AM

Could Angelina Jolie take home an Oscar for Best Director next year?

Not only has the sultry siren (pictured with Brad Pitt last week in Cannes) written and directed her first movie, the Bosnian war drama 'In the Land of Blood and Honey,' but she's now landed a distribution deal.

Jolie's film will be released Dec. 23, a date that clearly announces the film's ambitions as a serious awards-season contender.

You'd think it would be tricky, making the transition from sex symbol on camera to acclaimed filmmaker behind the lens. But if that's Jolie's dream, she's in excellent company. Critics and Academy voters have often been remarkably kind to matinee idols getting their feet wet as directors.

Exhibits A and B: Robert Redford and Kevin Costner. The movie hunks both won Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture their very first time out of the gate. Redford won in 1981 for family drama 'Ordinary People,' Costner in 1991 for the epic western 'Dances With Wolves.'

(Coincidentally, both beat veteran Martin Scorsese, who was a contender with 'Raging Bull' in '81 and 'Goodfellas' in '91.)

Warren Beatty and Mel Gibson both won Oscars for Best Director, after their second efforts behind the camera, Beatty in 1982 for 'Reds' and Gibson in 1996 for 'Braveheart,' which also won Best Picture.

George Clooney was Oscar-nominated for his second directing job, 2005's 'Good Night, and Good Luck' (he didn't win).

The Academy also likes it when easy-on-the-eyes screen stars create their own opportunities by writing screenplays. Emma Thompson won an Oscar for her first screenplay, 1995's Jane Austen adaptation 'Sense and Sensibility,' in which she also starred. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck won an Academy Award for their first screenplay, 1997's drama 'Good Will Hunting,' which had juicy roles for both of them. Beatty's first writing effort, 1975's 'Shampoo,' scored him an Oscar nomination.

Jolie's film has traits in common with some movies mentioned above. It centers on a controversial historical event (à la Costner, Beatty, Gibson and Clooney), although it's not a vanity project, since Jolie didn't cast herself in the movie.

It may help that Jolie, 35, already has an Oscar -- for her supporting role in 1999's 'Girl, Interrupted' -- and that she's made humanitarian disasters (of the sort depicted in her new film) her signature issue as an activist. Thus, she's unlikely to be seen as a dilettante with no business telling this story or getting behind the camera.

And let's face it, any excuse to get Jolie on a red carpet makes both the film industry and moviegoers very happy.

Read more from Moviefone here >>>

Tags: angelina jolie, brangelina

Comments

(32)

Sunday 22 May

By nunya

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Jolie is a skank, not a sex symbol.

By Ronnie

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Jealous much? Or are you just blind?

By Lori Walker

And on what terms would you consider a non drug user and one who has put more of her own money than the majority of Hollywood into personally helping third world countries Adopts and writes Is very educated,
I fail to see why men like you hate strong women Sounds like small penis behavior

By steeley

AGREED! She is nasty with a capital NAAAAS!

By Steeley

Low Ranked Vote down Vote up Report this

But at least then (hopefuly) we'd not have to look at her over inflated LIPS!

By eqwrewq

Vote down Vote up Report this

★ good web

=== w w w -- j o r d a n s f o r k i n g -- c o m

Monday 23 May

By joe american

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

if jolie is a skank, then ship a bunch of them jolie type
skanks to me.

jolie has all ways done things her way, those that dont like
it never brother her any.. i think thats the point people hate.

a powerful woman who can get it done...

By Kay

I wasn't aware that her last few movies were very big. I don't know anybody who went to see "Salt" or "Wanted." I think the movie industry sometimes forces people down our throats . . . or maybe there just isn't much out there to choose from.

By Anonymous

Angelina Jolie is a sex object on purpose!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By courtney

Hollywood won't accept a female sex symbol as a director but they have for men do names like Robert Redford & Paul Newman ring any bells.

By sundancer

I dont think Jody Foster is chop liver,,,

By Claud Pipkin

Well, I'd embrace her.............;0)

By Sandy

..same here..

By Spring

What I like about Angelina Jolie is yes she is one the sexiest women in the world and quite frankly one of the last true HW starlets that exude that old HW beauty and sex appeal. However, what sets her apart from her counterparts of today is that she is not just playing on her sex appeal and frankly she never real has because she is naturally a sexy woman, anyway she is smart, intelligent and has a real heart for her causes and her craft. I believe this movie could be another Oscar contender/winner like the war movie that won Bigelow an Oscar. I believe this film will put her in another era of her career and if she plays it smart she could not only be just the highest in demand actress in HW but could very well add in demand director to the list as well. I believe everyone is just ready for smart movies whether it is a male or female director.

By sej72385

While I admire her for all the humanitarian work she does and think it's great that she has adopted many children and given them a life they couldn't otherwise dream of, I would respect her more if she would forcus some of her efforts closer to home like Brad does in New Orleans. We have pleanty of children here in the US that need adopting to!!!

By connie sease

You mean tranjolina, she looks like a transvestite, fake boobs and all. What a joke, a no talent he she riding on the coat tails of her husband, who isn't that great of an actor either and he must be blind.

By ??????

I've never heard of a sex symbol that didn't have a great body. Yes, Jolie may have been sexy in the past, but now I'd just say she is just good looking. I've never seen her in a bikini like other actresses and I'm sure it's because she doesn't have the body for one. She's extremely thin but that does not equate with sexy. When will we get to see her body? She wears clothes that just show off 1. one side of one leg. 2. shoulders 3. back. The one time she wore a shorter black dress, her body looked the opposite of sexy because she doesn't have the body to pull it off.

By great grannyA

Whats the deal with all the tats.

By goatcars2

What a joke...All you need to be a director is a large bank account!!!!!!!!

By KS.

She looks beautiful. What a woman.

Page 1 of 2