Natalie Portman learned early that growing up in Hollywood meant protecting herself from the very image that made her famous.
The Oscar-winning actress opened up about the lasting impact of being sexualized as a child star, revealing how she carefully crafted a "good girl" image to shield herself from unwanted attention – only to find that the persona followed her well into adulthood.
Portman began her career in films featuring dark themes, such as 1994 thriller "Léon: The Professional," "Heat" and "Beautiful Girls."
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As Portman navigated the pressures of Hollywood at a young age, she and her parents made a deliberate effort to separate her on-screen persona from who she was in real life. Rather than embrace the provocative image associated with some of her early roles, Portman maintained a more reserved public image. She chose conservative, age-appropriate clothing for red carpet appearances while remaining focused on her education and academic success.
"I think there was a conscious effort, because I was depicted as this sexualized Lolita, that I wanted to be like, ‘No, I’m serious, I’m a good girl, I’m a prude, I’m smart, I’m a student,’ emphasizing that as almost a safety mechanism," she told Harper's Bazaar.
As her career progressed, Portman continued to gravitate toward complex, emotionally demanding roles. She eventually earned an Oscar for her performance in "Black Swan" and another nomination for "Jackie."
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But as her career flourished, Portman found that the serious image she had carefully cultivated, coupled with the demanding roles she continued to play, created a lasting misconception about her personality.
"But then, over time, it became like everyone thinks I’m really serious," Portman noted. "I’m very silly, and I love to laugh more than anything, and I love to goof off. People always think I’m a perfectionist, I think, because of 'Black Swan.' I’m the opposite. I’m forgiving with myself. In college, we had a phrase: ‘Done, not good.’"
After spending much of her career exploring darker, more complex characters, Portman said her priorities have shifted toward bringing audiences a sense of happiness.
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"Right now, it’s a lot of joy," she told the outlet of the current phase of her career. "I think it’s both for myself and what I hope to offer an audience, because it just feels … I mean, every time has dark moments, but it feels like there’s a lot of really heavy stuff going on. It’s just ever-present in our face, and so it does feel like the biggest service you can do right now as an artist is to deliver some joy."
Portman has also found joy in her personal life, recently welcoming a child with her partner, Tanguy Destable. A few weeks after welcoming her third child, Portman told Harper's Bazaar she's been "full of wonder and joy at this magical little human."
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Portman shares two kids, Aleph and Amalia, with ex-husband Benjamin Millepied. The two split in 2024 after 11 years of marriage.
While Portman has been soaking up the early days with her newborn, she said the experience has also reminded her how fleeting those moments can be.
"It gives me a whole new attention to my big kids too, as I am reminded of how recently they were these little fresh creations and how quickly they’ve blossomed into incredible humans with their own amazing personalities and senses of humor and ideas," she explained.