"I'll take that as huge compliment," Angelina Jolie smiles to a reporter who has just likened her turn in this week's Maleficent to Gloria Swanson's iconic Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. "I think that was part of the thing with this role. You realize that there's no halfway. That if you're going to do it, you can't kind of do it." Last week, ComingSoon.net joined a small roundtable of journalists for an extended conversation with Jolie who, in the year and a half since production, has gone on to direct her second feature film, this December's Unbroken. We were there, though, too, at Pinewood Studios in August of 2012, standing with another small group of press when, quite surprisingly, the film's star appeared before us in full costume. "I think I look better as her," the dark fairy told us with a smile that day. "I do! When my stuff’s off, I feel very flat. She’s so much bigger than life that I feel quite dull in comparison to her." The scene being filmed on a massive outdoor stage involved Maleficent standing on the outskirts of Stefan's castle, walking alongside a great black horse covered in feathers. In the story, that horse is actually a transformed version of Maleficent's crow, Diaval (played in human form by Sam Riley). "Sam is many, many things," the horned woman laughed, still half in character. "We never know which day on set is Sam or an animal. We often confuse them! He actually can't begin a scene until I've turned him back into a man. When we're waiting for him to begin a scene, we're really waiting for me to turn him into a person." "[T]he artist in me felt it's good to do something bold every once in a while," Jolie, sans horns, recalls a year and a half later. "…[It was] such a crazy idea and I was so challenged by it. My kids are now all watching all these movies and wanting to play with mommy. It was perfect timing to have them all on set, playing, being a part of the adventure with me and for me as an actress to not do something where I’m taking myself so seriously… Just remember what it is to play and entertain and try something bold." Also an accomplished screenwriter, producer and director, Jolie is well aware of the inherent silliness in bringing a familiar animated character to life. "You know, I was a bit nervous to take her on?" she recalls. "I just thought -- I don't have a big theater voice. I don't do things that are kind of comedic. …This is such a crazy idea! I'm a fairy, you know? I'd come home and [it's], 'how was your day honey?' 'I was a fairy!" Jolie's own daughter, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, makes a brief-but-memorable appearance in the film as a pre-school age Princess Aurora (played by Elle Fanning later in the story). It's not nepotism that won the young star the part, however. The Maleficent makeup (designed by the legendary Rick Baker) was so frighteningly realistic that the production had trouble finding another young girl that wasn't terrified to be in the presence of Jolie's fairy tale alter ego. "I actually had one child completely freeze and then cry," Jolie recalls. "It was like terror. I felt so bad. We realized that there was no way that we were going to find a four or five-year old that I could be as strong with that would not see me as a monster. Suddenly, there was Vivie running around looking like little Aurora." Beyond the sheer spectacle of it all, there's also a deep emotional core to Maleficent.The film's most powerful metaphor comes when Maleficent is betrayed by a loved one, who cuts off the fairy's wings. "What happened to her was more like a rape," Jolie tells us at the roundtable, "Something that she had no choice in and something that was done with ill intent. I think people will see it and I think they will see. For children, it's abuse. It’s being bullied. It's being hurt. For anybody -- everybody at this table -- we’ve all had that moment where somebody really hurt us and it changed us." Essentially reminding children that, in the wake of understanding, hatred dissipates, Maleficent's story is, out of necessity, as emotionally dark at times as the villain it seeks to redeem. "I think the depth of what children can handle and what they’re really interested in is much deeper than people assume," she explains. "I think it’s why sometimes we make things too simple for them… People say, 'Is it too dark for children?' It’s not. They want to understand things that frighten them. They want to see dark things that happen and they want to see how to rise above them. They don’t want to be hidden from all things and have everything sweetened." Despite the sweetened appearance of the film itself, Jolie hopes that Maleficent's ultimate message will find resonance with even the youngest of moviegoers. "It'll upset them," she admits. "but then they’ll also get angry with her, hopefully. Then they’ll also want her to grow past it. They'll kind of go on that journey of understanding how you could ever evolve past that and what that is… When we can make stories for children that they can walk away with having thoughts about things they didn't normally think about or learned a little something or felt heart warmed by something, then we've done something better." AARDVARK AARDWOLF AARON ABACK ABACUS ABAFT ABALONE ABANDON ABANDONED ABANDONMENT ABANDONS ABASE ABASED ABASEMENT ABASH ABASHED ABATE ABATED ABATEMENT ABATES ABATTOIR ABATTOIRS ABBE ABBESS ABBEY ABBEYS ABBOT ABBOTS ABBREVIATE ABBREVIATED ABBREVIATES ABBREVIATING ABBREVIATION ABBREVIATIONS ABDICATE ABDICATED ABDICATES ABDICATING ABDICATION ABDOMEN ABDOMENS ABDOMINAL ABDUCT ABDUCTED ABDUCTING ABDUCTION ABDUCTIONS ABDUCTOR ABDUCTORS ABDUCTS ABE ABEAM ABEL ABELE ABERDEEN ABERRANT ABERRATION ABERRATIONS ABET ABETS ABETTED ABETTING ABEYANCE ABHOR ABHORRED ABHORRENCE ABHORRENT ABHORS ABIDE ABIDED ABIDES ABIDING ABIDJAN ABIES ABILITIES ABILITY ABJECT ABJECTLY ABJURE ABJURED ABLATE ABLATES ABLATING ABLATION ABLATIVE ABLAZE ABLE ABLEBODIED ABLER ABLEST ABLOOM ABLUTION ABLUTIONS ABLY ABNEGATION ABNORMAL ABNORMALITIES ABNORMALITY ABNORMALLY ABOARD ABODE ABODES ABOLISH ABOLISHED ABOLISHES ABOLISHING ABOLITION ABOLITIONIST ABOLITIONISTS ABOMB ABOMINABLE ABOMINABLY ABOMINATE ABOMINATED ABOMINATION ABOMINATIONS ABORIGINAL ABORIGINES ABORT ABORTED ABORTING ABORTION ABORTIONIST ABORTIONISTS ABORTIONS ABORTIVE ABORTS ABOUND ABOUNDED ABOUNDING ABOUNDS ABOUT ABOVE ABRADED ABRAHAM ABRASION ABRASIONS ABRASIVE ABRASIVELY ABRASIVENESS ABRASIVES ABREAST ABRIDGE ABRIDGED ABRIDGEMENT ABRIDGING ABROAD ABROGATE ABROGATED ABROGATING ABROGATION ABROGATIONS ABRUPT ABRUPTLY ABRUPTNESS ABSCESS ABSCESSES ABSCISSA ABSCISSAE ABSCISSAS ABSCOND ABSCONDED ABSCONDER ABSCONDING ABSCONDS ABSEIL ABSEILED ABSEILER ABSEILING ABSEILS ABSENCE ABSENCES ABSENT ABSENTED ABSENTEE ABSENTEEISM ABSENTEES ABSENTING ABSENTLY ABSENTMINDED ABSENTMINDEDLY ABSENTMINDEDNESS ABSOLUTE ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTENESS ABSOLUTES ABSOLUTION ABSOLUTISM ABSOLUTIST ABSOLUTISTS ABSOLVE ABSOLVED ABSOLVES ABSOLVING ABSORB ABSORBED ABSORBENCY ABSORBENT ABSORBER ABSORBERS ABSORBING ABSORBINGLY ABSORBS ABSORPTION ABSORPTIONS ABSORPTIVE ABSORPTIVITY ABSTAIN ABSTAINED ABSTAINER ABSTAINERS ABSTAINING ABSTAINS ABSTEMIOUS ABSTEMIOUSLY ABSTEMIOUSNESS ABSTENTION ABSTENTIONS ABSTINENCE ABSTINENT ABSTRACT ABSTRACTED ABSTRACTEDLY ABSTRACTING ABSTRACTION ABSTRACTIONS ABSTRACTLY ABSTRACTS ABSTRUSE ABSTRUSELY ABSURD ABSURDER ABSURDEST ABSURDIST ABSURDITIES ABSURDITY ABSURDLY ABUNDANCE ABUNDANCES ABUNDANT ABUNDANTLY ABUSE ABUSED ABUSER ABUSERS ABUSES ABUSING ABUSIVE ABUSIVELY ABUSIVENESS ABUT ABUTMENT ABUTMENTS ABUTTED ABUTTING ABUZZ ABY ABYSMAL ABYSMALLY ABYSS ABYSSAL ABYSSES ACACIA ACADEME ACADEMIA ACADEMIC ACADEMICAL ACADEMICALLY ACADEMICIAN ACADEMICIANS ACADEMICS ACADEMIES ACADEMY ACANTHUS ACAPULCO ACCEDE ACCEDED ACCEDING ACCELERATE ACCELERATED ACCELERATES ACCELERATING ACCELERATION ACCELERATIONS ACCELERATOR ACCELERATORS ACCELEROMETER ACCELEROMETERS ACCENT ACCENTED ACCENTING ACCENTS ACCENTUATE ACCENTUATED ACCENTUATES ACCENTUATING ACCENTUATION ACCEPT ACCEPTABILITY ACCEPTABLE ACCEPTABLY ACCEPTANCE ACCEPTANCES ACCEPTED ACCEPTING ACCEPTOR ACCEPTORS ACCEPTS ACCESS ACCESSED ACCESSES ACCESSIBILITY ACCESSIBLE ACCESSING ACCESSION ACCESSIONS ACCESSORIES ACCESSORY ACCIDENCE ACCIDENT ACCIDENTAL ACCIDENTALLY ACCIDENTPRONE ACCIDENTS ACCLAIM ACCLAIMED ACCLAIMS ACCLAMATION ACCLAMATIONS ACCLIMATISATION ACCLIMATISE ACCLIMATISED ACCLIMATISING ACCOLADE ACCOLADES ACCOMMODATE ACCOMMODATED ACCOMMODATES ACCOMMODATING ACCOMMODATION ACCOMMODATIONS ACCOMPANIED ACCOMPANIES ACCOMPANIMENT ACCOMPANIMENTS ACCOMPANIST ACCOMPANY ACCOMPANYING ACCOMPLICE ACCOMPLICES ACCOMPLISH ACCOMPLISHED ACCOMPLISHES ACCOMPLISHING ACCOMPLISHMENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ACCORD ACCORDANCE ACCORDED ACCORDING ACCORDINGLY ACCORDION ACCORDIONIST ACCORDIONS ACCORDS ACCOST ACCOSTED ACCOSTING ACCOSTS ACCOUNT ACCOUNTABILITY ACCOUNTABLE ACCOUNTANCY ACCOUNTANT ACCOUNTANTS ACCOUNTED ACCOUNTING ACCOUNTS ACCRA ACCREDIT ACCREDITATION ACCREDITED ACCREDITING ACCREDITS ACCRETED ACCRETION ACCRETIONS ACCRUAL ACCRUALS ACCRUE ACCRUED ACCRUES ACCRUING ACCUMULATE ACCUMULATED ACCUMULATES ACCUMULATING ACCUMULATION ACCUMULATIONS ACCUMULATIVE ACCUMULATOR ACCUMULATORS ACCURACIES ACCURACY ACCURATE ACCURATELY ACCURSED ACCUSAL ACCUSALS ACCUSATION ACCUSATIONS ACCUSATIVE ACCUSATORY ACCUSE ACCUSED ACCUSER ACCUSERS ACCUSES ACCUSING ACCUSINGLY ACCUSTOM ACCUSTOMED ACCUSTOMING ACE ACED ACENTRIC ACERBIC ACERBITY ACERS ACES ACETAL ACETATE ACETATES ACETIC ACETONE ACETYLENE ACHE ACHED ACHES ACHIEVABLE ACHIEVE ACHIEVED ACHIEVEMENT ACHIEVEMENTS ACHIEVER ACHIEVERS ACHIEVES ACHIEVING ACHING ACHINGLY ACHINGS ACHROMATIC ACHY ACID ACIDIC ACIDIFICATION ACIDIFIED ACIDIFY ACIDIFYING ACIDITY ACIDLY ACIDOPHILES ACIDRAIN ACIDS ACKNOWLEDGE ACKNOWLEDGED ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACKNOWLEDGES ACKNOWLEDGING ACKNOWLEDGMENT ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ACME ACNE ACOLYTE ACOLYTES ACONITE ACORN ACORNS ACOUSTIC ACOUSTICAL ACOUSTICALLY ACOUSTICS ACQUAINT ACQUAINTANCE ACQUAINTANCES ACQUAINTED ACQUAINTING ACQUAINTS ACQUIESCE ACQUIESCED ACQUIESCENCE ACQUIESCENT ACQUIESCING ACQUIRE ACQUIRED ACQUIRER ACQUIRERS ACQUIRES ACQUIRING ACQUISITION ACQUISITIONS ACQUISITIVE ACQUISITIVENESS ACQUIT ACQUITED ACQUITES ACQUITS ACQUITTAL ACQUITTALS ACQUITTANCE ACQUITTED ACQUITTING ACRE ACREAGE ACRES ACRID ACRIMONIOUS ACRIMONIOUSLY ACRIMONY ACROBAT ACROBATIC ACROBATICS ACROBATS ACRONYM ACRONYMS ACROSS ACROSTIC ACROSTICS ACRYLIC ACRYLICS ACT ACTED ACTING ACTINGS ACTINIDES ACTION ACTIONABLE ACTIONS ACTIVATE ACTIVATED ACTIVATES ACTIVATING ACTIVATION ACTIVATIONS ACTIVATOR ACTIVATORS ACTIVE ACTIVELY ACTIVES ACTIVISM ACTIVIST ACTIVISTS ACTIVITIES ACTIVITY ACTOR ACTORS ACTRESS ACTRESSES ACTS ACTUAL ACTUALISATION ACTUALISE ACTUALISED ACTUALITIES ACTUALITY ACTUALLY ACTUARIAL ACTUARIES ACTUARY ACTUATE ACTUATED ACTUATES ACTUATING ACTUATION ACTUATOR ACTUATORS ACUITY ACUMEN ACUPUNCTURE ACUPUNCTURIST ACUPUNCTURISTS ACUTE ACUTELY ACUTENESS ACUTER ACUTEST ACYCLIC ADAGE ADAGES ADAGIO ADAM ADAMANT ADAMANTLY ADAPT ADAPTABILITY ADAPTABLE ADAPTATION ADAPTATIONS ADAPTED ADAPTER ADAPTERS ADAPTING ADAPTIVE ADAPTIVELY ADAPTIVITY ADAPTOR ADAPTORS ADAPTS ADD ADDED ADDENDA ADDENDUM ADDER ADDERS ADDICT ADDICTED ADDICTION ADDICTIONS ADDICTIVE ADDICTIVENESS ADDICTS ADDING ADDITION ADDITIONAL ADDITIONALLY ADDITIONS ADDITIVE ADDITIVELY ADDITIVES ADDLE ADDLED ADDLES ADDLING