Angelina Jolie Speaks on Her ‘Eternals’ Character: ‘Running Around in a Gold Bodysuit Was Not How I Imagined My Forties’

Angelina Jolie is just of one the A-listers set to help kick off Marvel’s phase 4 run with Eternals. Though the film was originally slated for a 2020 release, the pandemic shifted the studio’s plans and it’s now scheduled to drop in November 2021.

Jolie worked hard to train for her role as a superhero in the MCU, and her fans are excited about seeing her bring Thena to life. But how does the Maleficent actor feel about the experience?

The story behind Angelina Jolie’s ‘Eternals’ character

Marvel comic book fans are already familiar with Thena, the 4000-year-old daughter of Zura and Cybele who were first generation Eternals.

Thena and her father were chosen to be representatives for Zeus and Athena on Earth. Her original name was Azura (after her father) but it was changed after they struck their deal to become proxies for the Olympian gods.

Humans often looked to Thena and Zura as gods themselves. Thena (whose cousin is Thanos) is romantically linked to Kro, a warlord for the Eternals’ archenemies, the Deviants. Their conflicting loyalties often affected whose side they were really on and sometimes resulted in betrayal.

Thena’s powers include hyperspeed, regeneration, telepathy, teleportation, transmutation, strength, immortality, and the manipulation of both psychic and cosmic energy.

Besides being connected to the Celestials and Eternals, Thena’s adventures have paired her with Thor and the Fantastic Four. At some point in the comics, she worked for Tony Stark under a human alias. Among her trademarks is her specially crafted gold suit of armor.

Angelina Jolie speaks on her role and Thena’s gold costume

Angelina Jolie was cast alongside Salma Hayek, Kit Harington, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Brian Tyree Henry, Lia McHugh and Don Lee, in Eternals, and it’s also her induction into the MCU.

When her casting was announced during Comic-Con in 2019, fans were surprised and excited to see her in the lineup. IGN spoke to Jolie during the D23 event in 2019, and she explained why she was looking forward to the project.

“It’s just a really a love letter to Earth and very character-based, but also very, very big and we’re going to expand a long period of time and try different things,” said Jolie. “I love the storytelling, and I happen to love Thena. She’s very aggressive and I like her and I’m ready for that now,” she said.

Jolie expounded on her love for the upcoming film during an interview for the March 2021 issue of British Vogue.

“I love this cast, and that we all came together. I signed up to support Chloé [Zhao]’s vision and Marvel’s commitment to expand the way we see ‘superheroes’. Running around in a gold bodysuit was not how I imagined my forties. But it’s good crazy, I think,” she shared.

Jolie is well-versed in taking on action roles, as past credits include Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Fox in Wanted, and the assassin Evelyn Salt.

Marvel’s Eternals will follow the celestial group’s story as they shed their secret earthly identities to take on the Deviants. The movie takes place after the events in Avengers: Endgame and drops in November.