Angelina Jolie pauses red carpet duties for fan with rare bone disease
MANILA, Philippines — Actress Angelina Jolie drew further attention at the Venice Film Festival when she paused her red carpet interview to meet a fan with a rare bone disease.
The Academy Award winner is the lead star of Pablo Larrain's "Maria," about the late singer Maria Callas, which premiered at the prestigious film festival.
For the red carpet and premiere, Jolie wore a stone chiffon draped asymmetric gown and faux fur by frequent collaborator Tamara Ralph.
Jolie briefly stepped away from interviews and photographers to kneel and greet bedridden Italian writer Pasqualino Esposito, a regular at the film festival and a fan of the actress.
Esposito suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as "brittle bone disease," a genetic condition where soft bones fracture easily or are not formed fully. The condition affects the development of other body parts.
"She's a person with a very big heart,” Esposito told The Hollywood Reporter through a translator after meeting Jolie. "She's fantastic."
"Maria" received an eight-minute standing ovation at its premiere, which moved Jolie to tears, with many suggesting it could be her Oscars comeback.
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