Angelina Jolie Calls Clint Eastwood Film Shoot “Extremely Painful” – Here’s Why!

Positioned between the masterpiece “Letters from Iwo Jima” in 2006 and the standout “Gran Torino” in 2008, Clint Eastwood’s “Changeling” is somewhat underappreciated. Its performance at the international box office doesn’t help its case either. With a production budget of $55 million, it barely made more than double that amount, a result that was clearly disappointing.

While it may not be at the pinnacle of Clint Eastwood’s extensive filmography, it certainly deserves a look, if only for Angelina Jolie’s compelling performance. What makes it even more intriguing is that it’s based on a true story.

The story is that of Christine Collins. One morning in 1928, she said goodbye to her son Walter and went to work as usual. When she returned home, he was gone. A frantic search ensued, and a few months later, a nine-year-old boy claiming to be Walter was returned to her. Christine brought him home but deep down, she knew he was not her son. By reporting his disappearance, Christine Collins would expose the deeply suspect actions of a corrupt police force…

A “Very, Very Difficult” Experience

Before reading the script, Angelina Jolie was hesitant to accept the role as she had just come from shooting a grueling film about a kidnapping: “A Mighty Heart” (in which she played the wife of kidnapped and murdered journalist Daniel Pearl). “Ultimately, it was Christine’s persistence, her tenacity that changed my mind. I am particularly drawn to this story because of how it exposes the corruption of those in power,” the actress shared.

In a promotional interview for the release of “Changeling,” Angelina Jolie explained that filming with Clint was particularly challenging. “I’ve often worked on films that required a lot of emotion and a director who didn’t get it. You’d start a scene and do ten takes… with Clint, you just lay things out, and he understands.” The director was notably in sync with the actress, famous for his preference for minimal takes.

As a mother herself, the actress admitted that this role was close to her heart. Imagining the pain of losing a child, especially the helplessness felt by Christine, made the experience even more personal. “The loss of a child, and not knowing where they are, is probably the worst thing imaginable… So, the film was very, very painful.”