Angelina Jolie Made Children ‘Scream & Run Off’ When In Maleficent Garb

As a UN Goodwill Ambassador and mother of six, Angelina Jolie isn’t used to having her presence strike fear into the hearts of children – but the actress was in for a shock on the set of her upcoming Disney movie, “Maleficent.”

The 38-year-old beauty plays the title role in the Sleeping Beauty film, and when in costume and full makeup, Angelina says she pulled off the villainous character a little too well.

“The strange thing was, people with little kids would visit set, and I would think, ‘Oh, I am a Disney character,’ so I would go over to the children, and say, ‘Hi there,’” Angelina, who made a surprise appearance at Disney’s D23 Expo to introduce “Maleficent” clips on Saturday – told the excited audience. “And they would scream and run off!

“One little kid even said, ‘Mommy, please tell the mean witch stop talking to me!’” she added, laughing.

Angelina and Brad Pitt’s daughter Vivenne plays young Aurora in the movie, and the actress said her little girl was the only child unfazed by the dark character.

“Vivienne was the only 4-year-old who didn’t scream when she saw me,” she said.

Despite her repellant effect on young children, Angelina said playing the spell-casting Maleficent was a dream come true.

“Since I was a little girl, Maleficent was always my favorite. I was terrified of her, but I was so drawn to her,” she told the D23 crowd. “I wanted to know more about her – I wanted to know what she was like and who she was.”

Adding, “She had this elegance and grace, and yet she was so cruel. Just wonderfully, deliciously cruel.”

“Maleficent,” which also stars Elle Fanning, is slated to hit theaters on July 2, 2014.

— Erin O’Sullivan