"I was 10 years old when I realised I wanted to be an actor": Natalie Portman looks back on her career

Israeli-born American actress Natalie Portman is a household name now. She began her acting career at the age of 12 with her role in Léon: The Professional and went on to feature in various Hollywood classics. One of her most noteworthy among them was her role as Amidala in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace when she was only 17.

As someone who has been in the acting industry for a long time and has also had a stellar career trajectory, Natalie Portman has a lot to reflect on whenever she gets the opportunity to talk about her journey in Hollywood.

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar published on December 21, 2023, the actress looked back on her acting career, where it all began, what inspired her, discussing where it all started and the inspirations that guided her throughout the journey.

She said:

"I was 10 years old when I realised I wanted to be an actor, because I loved performing, dancing and singing."

As a child, Portman would see other kids auditioning for Broadway or commercials, and that introduced the idea of acting to her.

She remarked:

"I went to dance school and, because I lived in the suburbs of New York, a lot of the other kids I knew were auditioning, doing commercials and Broadway shows. That’s how I got the idea."

Throughout the rest of the interview, the Black Swan actress spoke more about the choices she made in her career and how she feels about all her accomplishments.

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Natalie Portman recounts her experience as a budding actor in the film industry

The 42-year-old actress shared her early experiences as a young actor venturing into the murky territory of Hollywood. It was very nerve-wracking for her initially to act alongside her co-stars, who were at times much more experienced than her, but she gradually became comfortable.

Recalling a particularly difficult early experience while featuring in The Public Theatre's revival of Anton Chekov's The Seagull, Natalie Portman said in the interview:

"I was 19, Mike Nichols was directing and there was an incredible cast. I made the mistake of reading reviews after we opened and I read some bad ones of myself, which I kept hearing in my head. I had to keep going on stage and performing, and I was so frozen by it."

Natalie Portman was only 19 at the time, and in the interview, she mentioned how Philip Seymour Hoffman's advice to her had been encouraging:

"Philip Seymour Hoffman, who was also in the play, was so kind to me. He said: 'Remember, most people get to go to acting school and fall on their face. You’re learning in the public eye and all of it – good and bad – is important to your growth process.' It was so helpful of him."

Rejection is also another aspect of the industry that can be heartbreaking, and the fear of which Natalie Portman has been able to overcome. According to her, it's more about being "comfortable" with the pain of rejection. Occasional pep talks with herself is all that she needs to build up the courage required to execute a challenging task.

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Natalie Portman expresses her desire to portray complex characters

Natalie Portman's portrayal of the ambitious, tenacious, but troubled ballerina Nina Sayers in Black Swan won her an Oscar. If anything, her performance in the movie is a testimony to the actress's ability to bring to life layered and psychologically complex characters.

In the interview, she said:

"I ask myself: is it something I haven’t done before? Does it feel dangerous or scary? Usually, that’s a good sign to try it!"

Natalie Portman prefers roles that are radically different from how she is as a person, and that makes her work even more daunting and challenging.

She remarked:

"I never want to play a version of me, I always want to play someone very different and get to explore something that I haven’t in my actual life."

All in all, the actress feels "lucky" to have had the chance to portray a diverse range of characters.

Portman recently starred as Elizabeth Berry in the dark comedy May December alongside Julianne Moore. The movie had an initial release in May 2023, and it was released in a few theatres in December 2023.