Angelina Jolie has told of her children’s pride over her latest role in new Marvel superhero film Eternals as they joined her at a screening of the blockbuster in London.
The sci-fi saga features immortal aliens who have been secretly living on Earth for thousands of years waiting for the right moment to jump into action.
Jolie, 46, who plays Thena in the film, was accompanied by her children Maddox, twins Vivienne and Knox, Shiloh and Zahara at a gala screening of the new release in central London.
Jolie told the PA news agency it was “wonderful” to be joined by her family on the red carpet.
She said that during filming they “laughed at me a lot, but they also were proud”.
“I can’t thank Marvel enough for letting me be here and be this in this film for my kids,” she added.
Eternals sees Brian Tyree Henry portray the franchise’s first gay superhero.
Jolie said she hopes the inclusion of the character “means something to everybody”.
“I hope it’s seen as natural and wonderful and beautiful,” she added.
The film’s Oscar-winning director Chloe Zhao said she wanted “to do right by the fans” of the franchise, although she added the Marvel Cinematic Universe “needs to continue to grow and evolve”.
“I hope that not only will we see ourselves represented on screen, but people who might not look like us, talk like us, love like us, communicate like us, can look at us on screen and relate to us on a human level,” she told PA.
Zhao, who made her name with independent films and became the first woman of colour to win best director at this year’s Academy Awards, said she hopes to do more work on big budget projects with large-scale film studios.
“It was a big film school experience for me, I learnt so much,” she added.
In addition to Jolie, Eternals also stars Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek and Kit Harington.
Harington also praised the film’s inclusion of a gay superhero.
“I think it is great Marvel are doing it,” he told PA.
“I hope there’s an out-and-out lead in a superhero movie who is gay,” he added.
Eternals will be released in cinemas on November 5.
