Natalie Portman

Interview By: Dan Portnoy

DanielPortnoy@TheCinemaSource.com

*Click Here For Another Interview with Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman made her cinematic debut at the age of twelve in Luc Besson’s Leon a.k.a. The Professional, a story about a solitary hit man who forms an unlikely bond with a troubled adolescent girl. Natalie has since grown up; building her career along the way, gradually becoming one of Hollywood’s most treasured female talents. But acting isn’t the only thing Portman excels at. In addition to obtaining a degree from Harvard, she can also speak five languages fluently (talk about multitalented). But lucky for us she’s stuck with acting despite her ability to succeed in any number of areas. And because of that audiences have had the pleasure of seeing Natalie slip into a variety of exciting and distinctive roles over the years. In 2006 moviegoers get to see her once again, this time, fighting the establishment and raising hell in the action thriller V for Vendetta.

Allow me to set the stage…In a futuristic totalitarian British society; the people are powerless under the rule of their government. Hope is an afterthought and freedom is a thing of the past. But out of the shadows and darkness that surrounds the lives of its citizens emerges V (Hugo Weaving), a masked vigilante determined to rise up against the tyranny and repression that has plagued Britain for too long. One night V rescues an ordinary woman from certain death, Evey (Portman), and shortly after she begins to question herself and the world that holds her captive. In time, the two form an alliance and together become the country’s sole chance for the restoration of freedom and independence.

So as you all may or may not be aware Natalie Portman has played a varied range of characters over the years including; a princess in a galaxy far, far away in the new Star Wars installments, a compulsive liar in the hit independent Garden State, and a prostitute in Closer for which she received an Oscar nomination. In Vendetta she plays a woman pushed to commit acts of violence to spread her message of uprising. “I was really excited at the idea of getting

into the mind of someone who would use violence and goes through that transformation. Someone who starts out as a non-violent person just trying to keep safe in this totalitarian society and becoming someone who believes that violence is an acceptable means to rebel.” Rebel with a vengeance is more like it. And I’ll tell you this much, the writing of the Wachowski brothers and direction of James McTeigue takes you on one heck of a ride.

Possibly one of the more interesting qualities of the film was the interactions between Evey and V. The chemistry between Portman and Weaving, the mysterious man in the mask, helped bring personality to the film and of course, its characters. “One of the most exciting things about the characters’ relationship is that it’s always changing, which is what real relationships are like.” Speaking of change I couldn’t help but wonder how Natalie felt about the shaved head (I can’t imagine how many times it’s come up in recent conversations). But, surprise, surprise she was more than fine with it. “I was excited to have the opportunity to throw vanity away for a little and go around with no hair.” Oh, and the shot in the film when you see her head being shaved, that was one take. But before Portman got in the frame a number of other poor unfortunates had their heads shaved to get everything just right.

But after a scene like that, doesn’t the emotion stay with you? I mean not only is your hair gone but the scene itself is a very powerful one. “I’m like the anti-method actress. I have to leave it as soon as they say ‘cut,’ its over. I have to start laughing and joking or else it really, really affects me.” Well there’s a pretty good chance that people who see this film will be affected, not just by the story, but also by the action that takes place and the performances of the actors. “The beauty of having it take place in an imaginary future is that people interpret it as they want to…It is an action movie it is an

entertainment movie…it’s not a metaphor, it’s a story and then you can relate it to other things if you want to but I like that it works on so many different levels…It gives you something strong to feel after and something strong to think about afterwards.”

V for Vendetta isn’t the only film Portman has starred in that will leave you with strong feelings. In 2004 she co-starred alongside Zach Braff in the independent film Garden State, which became an unexpected hit of the 2004 season. Braff not only wrote the film but directed it as well. “I knew Zach was really talented [through] working with him and it’s all his it really, really is. The film is really a director’s medium and it’s very hard to take any credit. As an actor you’re more of a color in a painter’s painting.” As an actress, being in a successful film is one of the best feelings one can have. When the success is unforeseen, the feeling can be that much more rewarding. “It was a great experience, it was really fun, and its exciting that people responded to it because that’s the most you can hope for.” Can V for Vendetta pass the success test? Tune in March 17th and get the skinny. Or better yet, why don’t you just go see it for yourself.

Natalie Portman continues to blossom on the big screen. Like Drew Barrymore, audiences have been able to watch Portman grow as a person and an actress. Coming later this year audiences can see even more of Natalie. “I finished a movie called Goya’s Ghost that Milos Forman directed that will come out later this year and I’m about to start a kid’s movie called Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium about a magic toy store.” With all the work that she’s taking on in 2006 one can only speculate; what will 2007 bring for Natalie Portman?