Angelina Jolie shares life lessons from new movie 'Couture' | TIFF World Premiere Red Carpet

What did this film teach you about the language of fashion? Fashion? Well, my character really wasn't. I think I'm the anti-fashion in the film. I've never been to a fashion show myself, so it was funny to direct one for a movie. I love what you were saying about how clothes and beauty affect our bodies. My mother has cancer, and when she lost her hair, she really wanted to know about turbans. And she wore a turban of every color. I love that. Say some love to your mom. So when you were talking about health and our bodies, can you talk about what that message in this film is? Well, I think it's hard to say. Too often we see certain things depicted. And when there's a film that deals with cancer, it's often a very heavy film that is kind of a closure of certain aspects of your life and an acceptance. There's a certain feeling usually in these films, and it's not all so sexy. It's not all so full of work and life and motherhood in the ways that I think real life is and should be. We have to somehow find a way to become more alive. We're all going to face the end one day. And so however long we have, we have to remember to like your mother. Really live as fully as we can, and take this as a reminder to live more fully. Thank you very much. Have a great night, and congratulations on the film. Hi. Congratulations on the world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival's 50th anniversary. How do you feel? I feel like a bit out of my body. You know, sometimes we see like there's this expression to have a butterfly in the stomach. It's really how I feel, like not really there. It's because I'm very happy, I think. You are telling a story, a certain lens of an event that we all kind of see as quite glamorous. But there are other sides of it, untold stories, people who are not getting the spotlight much. It was also to give a voice to women who are only bodies. And it was also to highlight their unspoken wants. And it was also, yeah, a way to talk about women's solidarity. You were able to access the Chanel archives, right? Yeah. How did that happen? What was that like? I mean, I had the chance, I asked them because, you know, I like to dive into a world I don't know. And so for one year and a half, I was able to go behind the stage of the fashion shows thanks to Chanel. And I met so many people, seamstresses, make-up artists, models, fit models. All those women you never see behind the images, the people in the shades. And, yeah, I wanted to, yes, give them, like, I don't know, space in a movie and to have this choral film with all of those women. And, yeah, it's almost the same character, you know. It's three women that cross each other in Paris during Fashion Week. And, yes, it's a film about the fragility of life. Angelina Jolie in this role has a few things in common with the character, not exactly the same. But, you know, what did she bring to this character given her own experiences and her French? Let's talk about her French. Actually, what she brings, I think it's truth as also she has a special connection to the story. As everyone knows, her mother and her grandmother died from cancer. She also was concerned that she lived in her own flesh, the story, as she underwent a double mastectomy. So she, and also what I admire is that she's a rebel. She's a rebel as an actress. She's a rebel as a woman. And I admire her very much for that. Thank you so much. Congratulations. Thank you. Hi, I'm Lainey. Nice to meet you. World premiere at TIFF in Toronto. How are you feeling tonight as an audience is about to enjoy this film for the first time? Listen, I'm not going to lie. It's quite an exciting moment and also overwhelming to be here. I'm very, very happy. I think the TIFF is a great film festival and I'm very happy to show the film here with everybody. Let's talk about working with Alice and crafting this character and telling this story in this setting, this Paris Fashion Week. You know, it's worldwide attention. People have an idea of what this event is, but I think you are all sort of kind of exploring it in a different way. Well, I play a makeup artist who's like kind of in the background and who does all the non-visible work. And it's also someone who makes herself invisible. And she's kind of the observer of all these worlds coming together. And I believe the character that we created with Alice is someone who really tries to catch the overview of what it actually is. And it's someone who sees through. And I think it's also someone who is in a moment of rupture, maybe also with this world, and starts to question it also in a different way. And we worked a lot with makeup artists, of course. And I just had a lot of looks behind the scenes. I'm getting myself pencils in the hand. So it was sort of a craft role, too. But I believe she's the observer of the story a little bit. And did you get a chance to work with Angelina Jolie? And what was that experience like? Yeah, we had two scenes. And it was really lovely to get to know her and just work. She's a really incredible actress. I was very impressed by just the skill she has. How's her French? Her what? Her French. Yeah? Yeah, she did a great job on her French. I mean, it's always difficult to get a foreign language. And especially acting in it is something different. But I mean, who am I to judge about that? But no, she's great. Thank you so much. And enjoy your time at TIFF. Congratulations. Thank you. Nice to meet you. My name is Lainey. You are here for the first time at the Toronto International Film Festival. In your first film, yeah? Yes, that's it. My debut. And you're debuting at TIFF. What's that like? It's mind-blowing. I woke up this morning crying uncontrollably because it's been such a special journey. And to get here is, yeah, mind-blowing, basically. Especially since this role was written for you. The role that you're playing is based on your experiences. What is that like to be an actor acting your own sort of lived experience? It's both challenging and simple. I mean, they kind of clash, but that's really the experience. Because to act what I've already lived makes it easier for me to do it. But at the same time, embodying that whole persona and feeling those emotions all again was a little rough during the sad scenes and during the tough scenes. But what's most important for me was that the story was put out there. And I showed up every day. I promised myself, I promised Alice and everybody on set that I wasn't experienced, but I was going to give all I could. And I did. Beautiful. And I mean, I can't wait for the audience to see your performance. Now, you are a model. You understand the fashion industry in a way maybe that other people don't. We only see the glamour. But I know this film explores other parts of the industry that maybe aren't as well-known. How do you feel about being a member of that industry but then showing a different side of it? I think it's very important to give flowers to the people who make the fashion industry what it is because everybody sees the fashion industry as the beauty, the glamour, the couture. But the stitches are done by people who are always backstage and most of the time don't get that recognition. And I think the film covers that in a very raw way. Also, it shows the pain, the sacrifice, the resilience and the strength that women who work in fashion have. Also men, but specifically this movie is about women. It shows all the rough parts of fashion that makes fashion what it is. And I think that's very special. Not many people speak about it, but I think it's important to speak about it because living in a bubble where you think everything is luxurious is very superficial. It's very important to inspire people by showing them what it truly is. And let's talk about, in your first film, co-starring with Angelina Jolie. Mind-blowing. No big deal. I mean, I suffered serious imposter syndrome during the first few days. I won't lie. I was constantly questioning, like, are you guys sure you wanted me to be here? But Alice constantly reminded me that I belong there because she did a casting of 400 girls before she met me. I knew I belonged, but at the same time I was struggling to get into it. Angelina was really kind. She's been very patient and I've learned so much from her during this time. And I've always looked up to her anyway because not only for her talent on the big screen, but because of what she stands for as a humanitarian. So this was very special for me. Congratulations. Have a great time tonight. Thank you.