Angelina Jolie Wants To Focus on A Career As A Director?

[Mitch Henessey]

(CNN) -- Angelina Jolie "absolutely" plans to give up acting one day -- but not just yet.

The actress gave her fans a scare on Wednesday when she said in an interview with DuJour magazine that she's ready to give up performing for directing.

"I've never been comfortable as an actor; I've never loved being in front of the camera," Jolie said. "I didn't ever think I could direct, but I hope I'm able to have a career at it because I'm much happier."

So, she's planning to leave acting behind? "Absolutely," Jolie responded.

But that certainty came with a caveat.

"I see myself moving into directing more and doing much less as an actor," Jolie later clarified to Entertainment Weekly. "I have a few more in me, ones I have been developing for some time, so I will do those before I step away."

Obviously, one of those movies she wants to see through is her 2015 film "By the Sea," which she wrote and directed, and also stars in with husband Brad Pitt.

"It's a heavy film, and it's not easy for us," Jolie told DuJour of her upcoming project. "But even as you struggle through it, you're in the trenches together and you don't expect it to be easy. We're challenging each other and that's a really good thing."

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/11/20/s...-gossip/angelina-jolie-quit-acting/index.html

Jolie made her directorial debut in 2011 with In the Land of Blood and Honey, but the film received an overall lukewarm reception. I never watched ITLOBAH, because when I caught the first trailer, I didn't see anything to convince me to run out and take a chance on the film. The trailer just showed me a forgettable and basic war drama/love story, and that's about it. Of course, it'll take time and more films for Jolie to hone her skills behind the camera to the point, where she's at her best.

Unbroken is Jolie's new film, and there's a good amount of Oscar buzz surrounding it. Unbroken has a Christmas Day release date, that's right in the middle of the Oscar season push, and the heavy push for all the promotional material should kick into high gear in a few weeks.

Unbroken is a crucial turning point in her career. While I don't believe it's a make or break film for Jolie's future as a director, if Unbroken is a financial and critical success, If Jolie's work behind the camera brings an Oscar nomination, the positive momentum will do wonders for Jolie's future films. If Unbroken's theatrical run comes and goes without whimper, then Jolie is stuck in square one with no real excitement or expectations surrounding her future as a director.

Jolie announcing her plans to step away from acting comes at a strange time, when you look at the big picture. Jolie continues to solidify her status as one of the more popular and consistent mainstream actresses, and she's a proven box office draw. If you need more proof, you can look at the overwhelming success for Maleficent this year. Maleficent grossed over $757 million worldwide, and Maleficent currently holds the #3 spot on the highest-grossing films list for 2014.

On top of that, Jolie's carved out a nice little niche for herself as an action heroine with her performances in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Salt, Wanted, and if you go back to the early 2000's Jolie was the star of the Tomb Raider films. If we're looking at her overall body of work, I've enjoyed the majority of her career as an actress, and Jolie can be hit-and-miss, but I've enjoyed most her films, and she's still capable of delivering high quality performances.

As far as By The Sea goes, I have mixed feelings for it. I'm sure it'll be a big deal, when they release it, but I'm worried about Pitt and Jolie's real life relationship overshadowing the movie with too much breaking the fourth wall talk.

Any thoughts on Jolie's plans to quit acting, and her overall body of work as an actor?

 

[Loveless]

It's a smart move from an intelligent woman. Putting aside the fact that she's actually a decent actress, she must be aware that her career has been unfairly buiilt on her looks and sex appeal and, as she's approaching 40, it's going to become increasingly difficult to maintain that. Moving behind the camera now, while she's still an A-Lister and has the opportunities that provides, is a very smart decision, if she can pull it off.