Natalie Portman has shed light on the darker side of growing up in Hollywood. The Oscar winner shared how being sexualized as a child star pushed her to create a “good girl” image to protect herself.
Natalie Portman says her carefully managed persona served as protection
Portman debuted as a teenager in the 1994 thriller Léon: The Professional. She was only 13. As she built her career at a young age, Portman and her parents prioritized keeping a clear distinction between her acting career and her personal life.
“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,” Portman explained to Harper’s Bazaar.
“But then, over time, it became like everyone thinks I’m really serious,” she said. “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.'”
Portman shared that she now hopes to bring a sense of happiness to audiences through her work. The actress, who stars in the upcoming dark comedy thriller The Gallerist, said that she is finding “a lot of joy” in her career at this point.
Portman explained that she wants to bring joy to audiences for both personal and professional reasons. She acknowledged that every era has its dark moments but said people constantly face heavy and difficult issues. Portman, who recently welcomed her third child with partner Tanguy Destable, added that artists can best serve audiences right now by bringing them joy.
