The Thena depicter in Marvel Cinematic Universe credits her own mental health issue for helping her performance in Marvel's latest superhero blockbuster.
- Nov 5, 2021
AceShowbiz - Angelina Jolie has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in her life which really helped her performance in "Eternals".
In the new Marvel movie, she plays warrior Thena, who has "mad weary," a similar mental condition.
Asked how important showing Thena's challenges were for her, she told The Times newspaper, "Very important. I've had a very blessed life but I've had my own challenges. I've had PTSD."
The Oscar winner has been a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations, including helping refugees fleeing persecution in countries such as Syria, Sierra Leone, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
She's also met several PTSD-stricken soldiers and they inspired the portrayal of her superhuman character.
"You often feel that feeling of being broken and wondering what you're capable of, and being concerned you're not able to be enough to protect and care for those you love. And so I wanted to have that discussion through this film," she said.
"I think of Thena that way because she's a warrior. And they are still strong, they are just as capable. They're wrestling through what they've experienced because they are deeply feeling people, like a raw nerve, but it doesn't make them less capable, less whole as a person."
"I wanted those things not to be in conflict. I wanted that to be the same person, that Thena could equally be the great fighter and be wrestling with this mental illness."
Jolie also believes "everyone" has "some form of mental health" issue, in many cases due to the pandemic or the state of the world.
"In some way everyone wrestles with some form of mental health," she shared. "But certainly coming out of Covid and a lot of things that have been happening globally, people are speaking a lot about mental health because people are feeling very weighed down and overwhelmed."
"The way we're not trading fairly, stripping resources, not paying attention to the way climate affects people - there's a lot that we really need to wake up to and then shift. I think all of this is affecting our mental health."
