Angelina Jolie has accumulated a career built on the backbone of Hollywood’s action-adventure genre. Ranging from Lara Croft (2002) to the legendary Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) to the highly entertaining Wanted (2008) to Salt [in other words, the role that was written for Tom Cruise but was turned down by actor for being too similar to his Mission: Impossible films] – all of it witnessed the slow but steady and assured rise of Jolie to the vanguard of Hollywood action, eventually leading her to be dubbed as the industry’s first female action star.
And under the panorama of gunfights and espionage, one often forgets that the Oscar-winning actress also built a box office career that witnessed films like Gia, Girl Interrupted, Changeling, and Original Sin. And it is the latter among these films which landed her in a bit of hot water.
Original Sin (2001)
Angelina Jolie Gets Flack For Commenting On Co-star’s Wife
The Eternals actress has never been subtle about her presence or the impact it has on those around her. While on-screen, Angelina Jolie steals the spotlight whether wittingly or inadvertently, and holds her own beside such veterans as Morgan Freeman, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington, and Martin Scorsese. It was no big task for the unquantifiably beautiful actress to switch up her game and land the part of a leading lady in an erotic thriller alongside the evergreen Antonio Banderas.
Antonio Banderas and Angelina Jolie in Original Sin
However, Original Sin, the movie which was known for its over-the-top R-rated scenes which might make many a suburban woman reach for an imaginary danseon, made quite the round at the time of its filming for the tabloids famously raising a ruckus about the leads having an affair and that Melanie Griffith, Banderas’ wife, was jealous of whatever was going on between the pair. Jolie, in an effort to quell the situation, claimed she preferred Griffith over Banderas. As expected, the tabloids found the spark to light their blazing fire.
In the aftermath of her comments drawing sensationalism and backlash, the Maleficent actress had to issue another statement clearing up what she meant earlier: “I was being playful, it was my way of saying that he’s married to a beautiful woman and I’d sooner sleep with her than have an affair with him.” The hankering died down after Original Sin premiered and people had more than enough steamy scenes to keep their minds occupied. Banderas and Griffith divorced in 2015.
Angelina Jolie and Antonio Banderas’ Marvel Careers
Angelina Jolie as Thena in Eternals
While Angelina Jolie is getting the big bucks over at Marvel Cinematic Universe as a goddess destined to look over humanity, Antonio Banderas’ future in the ubiquitous CBM franchise seems pretty bleak. The 2021 premiere of Eternals brought a host of namedrop actors and A-listers from all over the industry, merging a story as epically proportioned to the vision that Marvel comics is meant to hold for their readers, and Thena aka Jolie was magnificent in her arc.
On the other hand, Banderas has been getting quite the support from fans of the franchise to be cast in the role of Galactus, the all-seeing all-knowing overseer who plays a significant part in the events of the Multiverse Saga. As of now, no known actors are in the running for the part and the studio is hardly rolling out the casting carpet as of now. It would, however, be interesting to witness an actor of Banderas’ caliber opting to make an impact in the world of Marvel or DC in the years to come.
Original Sin is available for streaming on Pluto or Tubi.
