Illuminated by a career of successes that bring her name high, Natalie Portman can undoubtedly be considered one of the leading stars of the Hollywood scene. Debuting in the world of the seventh art while still very young with the poetic and unforgettable “Leon” by Luc Besson, the actress born in Jerusalem and naturalized in the United States has always pursued her passion for the big screen without neglecting her cultural education.

After graduating in psychology after her first appearances on the set, she continued her professional career by participating in major productions such as the second “Star Wars” trilogy, and then found space in the erotic film “Closer”, the comic book film “V for Vendetta” and Darren Aronofsky’s film “Black Swan”, earning her the Oscar for best leading actress.

Another aspect in which she has always shown great commitment and participation are campaigns for political and social rights, remaining active on the environmental front, on aid to families living in Third World countries and taking part in the “Me too” movement. Significant in this last case was her participation in the “women's march” in 2018, during which she testified that she had been a victim of sexual terrorism at the age of only thirteen.

Interviewed with her colleague Jenna Ortega by Interview Magazine, Portman returned to discuss the traumatic experiences she had in her early years in the film studios. From the time shortly after the release of the film “Leon,” she recalls in particular the strong sexualization she suffered when she was still a minor: “There’s a public image of me that is different from who I really am. I’ve talked about it a little bit in the past, about how, as a child, I was strongly sexualized, which I think happens to a lot of girls who appear on screen. It was very scary for me. Obviously sexuality is also a part of childhood, but I wanted it to stay inside me, not directed at me.”

Citing the labels she’s been inappropriately labeled over the years, she added: “At every stage of my career, there was a different stereotype to avoid. Obviously, there was a long Lolita phase. Then came the long phase of the girl who helps the protagonist discover his emotions, which lasted about a decade.” On how she approached the profession within the family unit, she said: “[My mother] was always with me and made sure no one came near me. Once I got to college, my father told me that it was nice while it lasted and that now I should get a real job.”

Another episode that deeply influenced her private and professional experience was her marriage to choreographer Benjamin Millepied, whom she met on the set of “Black Swan” in 2010. From an overwhelming feeling, a relationship was born that lasted almost fifteen years, which led to the birth of her two children, Aleph and Amalia. After filing for divorce last February, Portman admitted that she selects the roles she plays based on the personal situation she is facing at that particular moment in her life.

On this aspect, she specifically said: «There are things that happen at certain moments in life. I learned from actresses who came before me and who said: it's important to aim for joy. There are moments in life when it's really meaningful to have a work experience that surrounds you with happiness, and this was one of those. It doesn't always work that way, but I'm usually drawn to certain things because of what's going on in my personal life. To deal with emotionally difficult material, my real life has to be pretty relaxed, without any big problems. You want to find that joy, that lightness and that humor in your work when things at home are more difficult».

And on the contribution she receives from her children in carrying on her work as an actress, she finally mentioned: «[I'm] thrilled to have children, and to have them with a person I was in love with. My children are always a source of excitement, because you see them grow and become the individuals that they are. And then, I spent a lot of time with my friends, with their children and with mine, it's really fun».

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