Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman (b. June 9th, 1981)

Heart to Heart with Natalie Portman
Born in Jerusalem, Natalie Portman was discovered by casting agents in a Long Island pizzeria. She first hit the acting scene as a preteen, playing a precocious gamine who bonds with a hit man in Luc Besson's 1993 The Professional. Since then she has grown up into one of the most sought-after young actresses in Hollywood. With a beauty reminiscent of Audrey Hepburn and a poise beyond her teenage years, the young actress shone in Beautiful Girls and Mars Attacks! before landing the role of Queen Amidala in Star Wars: Episode 1 -- The Phantom Menace. Although she is now pursuing a degree at Harvard University, Portman hasn't given up her acting career -- including further Amidala duty in the next Star Wars installment. Portman recently spoke with Barnes&Noble.com about her work in Where the Heart Is, sex scenes, and her newfound love for Wal-Mart.

Barnes & Noble.com: In Where the Heart Is, your character starts out at Wal-Mart -- pregnant and abandoned -- and that's just the start of her troubles. What do you think kept her going?

Natalie Portman: I think that it's a really human thing to try and overcome your situation, and often it's adversity that really pushes you to transcend it. For my character (Novalee), motherhood and her inherent good nature are factors that help her overcome the bad things that happen. In the end, the story is really about the point you come to in your life when you realize that not everyone is good. It's about learning to trust people with a greater degree of caution, while still keeping your faith in people and in yourself.

B&N.com: Novalee might be the same age as you, but she's experienced a lot of life lessons that you haven't experienced. What was it like to play her?

NP: It is exciting to get to do new things, but it is really scary to play an adult. I mean, for me going away to school for the first time and walking into a bank and taking money out for my first time was really scary. I was like, 'Are people really going to take me seriously?' It's kind of the same on film, except you are not only acting older than you really are, but you're playing a person who you really aren't.

B&N.com: Before this movie you were outspoken about not wanting to do love scenes. What made you decide it was okay this time?

NP: There is a love scene in this film, but it wasn't explicit or exploitative at all, and I thought it was very necessary for the character. Originally, there was a sex scene in Anywhere but Here, too. I don't really have a problem with seeing sex on the screen, but I was 16 and I just wasn't ready to do that at the time, so I turned the film down because of it. I've seen a few films recently with people my age in them that kind of got me upset. It didn't feel right seeing as much as you see of these young people onscreen. It was a really nice surprise when they came back to me with a new version of the Anywhere but Here script with the sex scene written out. It still gets across the same idea without having to be explicit. I love how in older movies sex was always implied without being shown. It's nicer to give the audience a little credit and let them draw their own conclusions from the basic information.

B&N.com: Have movies been strong influences in your life?

NP: Sure. I guess the most glamorous film image for many girls is Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. The way she looked and carried herself was wonderful. When she smokes in the film, it looks so beautiful, although I've never smoked in my life because I know that it's horrible for you. Even though I love the way it looks when she smokes, I don't think movies should glamorize smoking.

B&N.com: What other films have inspired you?

NP: The movie I was obsessed with growing up was Dirty Dancing. I was obsessed with Jennifer Grey's character. I wanted to be Baby and dance with Patrick Swayze.

B&N.com: Long before George Lucas cast you as Princess Leia's mom, you had already gained a lot of recognition as an actress. Do you remember your first big experience in Hollywood?

NP: I was about 13 or 14. I think The Professional had just come out, and I went out to Hollywood for some meetings or something. I had been to Los Angeles before, but not in that context. To suddenly be taken around in limousines and to bump into movie stars on studio lots was really exciting and glamorous for me. I actually remember crying when I had to leave because I thought L.A. was so beautiful and so sunny and so nice. Over the years, though, I've become more jaded and kind of seen a little bit of the dirtier side of the city. It has made me appreciate New York and the East Coast in general.

B&N.com: The Phantom Menace was a huge hit -- and the sequels figure to keep you in the public eye. What impact did it have on your career?

NP: Really not as much of an impact as I thought it would be, in terms of how it changed my everyday life. I get recognized a little more, but it's nothing like my worst nightmares -- you know, not being able to walk down the street. I can totally go wherever I want with relative anonymity. Probably the best thing that's come out of Phantom Menace is that it's really a great kids' movie. I can go to children's hospitals now, and it's so exciting for them now to see Queen Amidala. To be able to affect children in that way is such a gift.

B&N.com: What can you say about Episode 2?

NP: I'm sworn to secrecy, of course. I can only tell you that it's the beginning of the romance between my character and Anakin Skywalker.

B&N.com: Any thoughts on Wal-Marts after doing Where the Heart Is?

NP: I'd never been to one before I did the film, but I fell in love with it. It's like the greatest place. I really understand where the idea for Where the Heart Is came from, because you certainly could live in a Wal-Mart.

September 26, 2000

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