Natalie Portman managed to transition rather well from child star to legitimate adult actress. I’ve always thought the big change Portman made in how she was perceived was when she did Closer in 2004, with Clive Owen, Jude Law and Julia Roberts. Natalie scored an Oscar nomination for her role as the stripper Jane, and after that, people saw her as adult AND a “real actress.” She was directed by Mike Nichols in Closer, and he had already worked with her on a stage production of The Seagull. So, when Natalie was speaking about Nichols’ death, she gave him credit for “vouching” for her skills as an actress, especially after the wake of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.
The force of the second Star Wars trilogy was not strong for Natalie Portman career-wise, according to the Oscar-winning actress, one of the most popular in the world.
The 33-year-old played Padme / Queen Amidala, love interest of Anakin Skywalker, who later became Darth Vader, in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. The films were released between 1999 and 2005 and served as prequels to the original series. While the newer movies made more than $2.5 billion worldwide, critics and scores of fans of the franchise were not as impressed with them.
Portman, a former child star, began her onscreen career more than five years before her Star Wars debut. In the summer of 2001, Portman also appeared with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman in an adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s 19th century play The Seagull in New York City. Mike Nichols was the director and would go on to helm the 2004 film The Closer, which garnered Portman her first Oscar nomination. He died in November at age 83. Portman recently spoke to New York Magazine about her late friend.
“Star Wars [Episode I – The Phantom Menace] had come out around the time of Seagull, and everyone thought I was a horrible actress,” the outlet quoted her as saying. “I was in the biggest-grossing movie of the decade, and no director wanted to work with me.”
“Mike wrote a letter to Anthony Minghella and said, ‘Put her in Cold Mountain, I vouch for her,'” she added.
Portman starred in the director’s 2003 historical drama, which garnered fellow supporting actress Renee Zellweger her first Oscar. In 2005, the actress appeared in V For Vendetta, a political thriller that made $132 million worldwide and was penned by screenwriter siblings Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski. Portman shaved her head for the film, marking the first out of two times she would transform her look for a movie.
“…Everyone thought I was a horrible actress…” She says that like it’s untrue. I mean, Natalie is a decent-to-good actress, but let’s not pretend that Star Wars was her greatest acting triumph, you know? People didn’t want to work with her legitimately, because they didn’t know if she was going to be able to pull it off. But it’s nice that Nichols vouched for her and talked her up to other directors. Nichols was such a mensch.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fame/Flynet.
I still think she’s a terrible actress. And she was god-awful in The Seagull. I think that one of the things gossip blogging has done is make a lot of people aware of what a popularity contest an Oscar is. It isn’t consistently indicative of talent.
She was ridiculously bad in Black swan imo. Loved the film, but still.
Ok, save for the dance scenes but it was all make up, feathers, music and some real dancer’s legs doing all the work
I thought Black Swan was a bit overrated. STUNNING, but kind of banal. Also, her baby voice irritated me. I think they’re all overrated on that (A) level, but I guess I prefer her over some others.
Same. It was good, but not great. And imo Portman has limited range. Concerned face on verge of what looks like tears is her main one.
qwerty
That dancing scandal was something, but little trumps actress that transforms body (lost weight) and can accept oscar while very pregnant. If you have both you’re guaranteed a win.
I thought she did a great job in Black Swan.
Forget Natalie. The true travesty from star wars is how it ruined Hayden’s career. He was amazing! His performance in life as a house was breathtaking. Someone needs to vouch for him and bring him back into our lives!!!
Seconded.
Agree. Life as a House is one of my all time favorite movies. And Hayden’s performance was outstanding. Shattered Glass was good too.
Totally agree. Bring back Hayden!
It beggars belief that Neeson & McGregor (usually stellar) were also terrible in these movies. MCGregor’s lightsabre skills only saved him.
With other bloggers…Portman has tickets on herself.
He is a good actor. Star Wars Episodes 1-3 were poorly written. It managed to make even Neeson and McGregor sub par actors. Hayden took the brunt of the bad acting complaints, but unjustly. Portman’s wooden acting aside it was bad writing, special effects, rushed story line, stereotyped and badly CGI’d characters all played a part in any actor in that film doing what they could to get paid.
FLORC is absolutely correct. Terrible writing, terrible dialogue. A 12 year-old could probably have written it better. Ewan McGregor is the strongest actor of the bunch and barely managed to rise above this tripe.
Hayden was awful in Star Wars. Worse than Natalie, and she was abysmal.
If nothing else, Hayden actually TRIED. Natalie just looked like having to perform for SW was interrupting her nap the whole time. Not to mention she was an ungrateul brat in post SW interviews.
+10000
i saw natalie portman in The Diary of Anne Frank years ago. she reeked. i haven’t seen her in anything since then that would convinced me that she doesn’t stink as an actress.
also, she compared nichols writting a letter on behalf of milos forman so that the former can get political asylum in the US to nichols getting someone to hire her for a movie. FFS. sit down, you twit.
She’s a good example of elite connections, a pretty face, and a decent momager.
And there’s a looong list of poorly thought out stances she’s taken and been vocal about. She’s living in a very cloesd off and small world from some of her remarks.
I still think she’s a terrible actress. I just don’t get the big ‘WOO’ about Natalie Portman. And man … she was so miscast in the “Thor” franchise. Emily Blunt would have been a much better choice.
AGREED. At best she’s mediocre, at worst she can’t act and her family paid her way through life
Being cast in scenes with Katy dennings doesn’t help. Kats so funny and gorgeous, and then Natalie is a charisma vacuum.
Kat is nothing to write home about, either. Both of them are mediocre at best in all departments.
At least KD has personality. And she didn’t take it so darned seriously.
I agree with @Dani.
Yup, only appreciated her acting in Léon, but I’m not sure how much she actually owned that performance. All her other parts could have been played better by other actresses.
Oh my god she is SO BORING in the Thor movies. Just the worst.
You are terrible, sweetie.
Your crying face is worse than Claire Danes – and I’m not even talking about the high pitched voice you make.
Besides, swiching Star Wars for Thor doesn’t help either.
“switching Star Wars for Thor” BOOM.
Danes is brilliant
Agreed.
“Your crying face is worse than Claire Danes ”
I hope you aren’t suggesting that when females cry, a reaction to pain, that it should look pretty.
I think she was just saying that it isn’t a particularly “moving” or “well acted” crying face, both crying faces are not good in the sense that they are both unconvincing, forced and eye roll inducing and not one you would like from a “good” actor.
Haha Danes has one of the worst crying faces. There’s a scene in Little Women where her chin trembles and it’s always hysterical to watch
In all fairness, I was too overwhelmed by the massive sucking of all three movies to obsess over her.
Many actors need good direction to really bring them out and Natalie is one of them. Russell Crowe is another as is Rosamund Pike and many many others. The give away is when an actor is good, even brilliant in some films and then mediocre in others. So while I think a truly Great Actor should rise above weak directors, I wouldnt say she is a bad actor either. She can and has delivered on a few times.
I agree. There are some actors who are very hit or miss depending on the project in director, and I agree Natalie is one of them. But she’s also one of the few who transitioned ok from child actor to grown up actor.
Mike Nichols probably saved the rest of her career.
Yes I completely agree – and it’s not just the director but the script and characters. There isn’t much you can do when the script is cheesy and horrible (looking at you, Star Wars).
I loved her in The Professional, but that’s about it, haha.
Loved her in GOYA’S GHOSTS. Mind you, entire film haunted me so probably not just her performance.
I was about to say the exact same thing. It’s not the worst for an actor but… I’ve long been calling this the Hilary Swank category of actors. Swank, IMO, has given two GREAT performances in her career and has an Oscar for each. Outside of that, similar to Natalie, she’s completely pedestrian, if not downright bad at times. Without a good script and great direction they don’t rise above the material. Forget elevating it. (Since great actors at times can shine even when the screenplay isn’t the best,) I think direction is especially important when it comes to giving an average, inconsistent, and/or unimaginative actor a POV on a character and guiding them through it. And then of course editing the performance together. No one except Ewan McGregor was any good at all in the prequels. Even Sam Jackson seemed to be sleep walking through those films. George Lucas is a notoriously “disinterested” (putting it politely) director when it comes to actors and their performances. Ewan too, IIRC, was the only one who had another actors performance to base his off of. He didn’t have to depend solely on Lucas and those underdeveloped (GOD-AWFUL) scripts. If you’re not a solid actor, with a strong POV or at the very least a natural charisma, like Ewan, Harrison Ford or Alec Guinness, there are many directors who aren’t going to do you any favors.
ITA re: Ewan. That man elevates almost anything that he’s in…almost.
You’ve just articulated exactly how I feel about Hilary Swank’s acting. Great discussion guys.
Interesting observations, I hadn’t really thought that much about how some great performances (such as Swank’s Oscar-winning ones) could be credited in large part to the director. With Swank in particular I mostly remember just being shocked at how quickly she went from 90210 to Oscar winner, lol.
To be fair… Samuel L. Jackson (gotta say the whole name 🙂 ) Only had that role because he begged Lucas for a spot. He wanted to be in the films in some form he was such a fan. That role was created in a hurry and you can tell. He did what he could without dropping a few Mfers.
I don’t think she’s a terrible actress, but her best performances have never struck me as anything more than competent.
Was she good in BLACK SWAN?
She was completely wooden in Star Wars.
I thought Mila Kunis’ s role was better written.
She was good in the final scene, but her overall performance was mediocre and definitely not Oscar worthy.
I thought she did great in Black Swan. To me, it was about the mind f*ck that ballet puts women in: to be forever pre-pubescent. I thought she did a really good job with the character’s mental deterioration.
No one came out of that 2nd trilogy with their acting credentials intact!!
I’d say Christopher Lee and Ian McDiarmid survived. 😉
Those 2 are national treasures. Nothing can bring them down. Not even Hammer Horror 😉
I haven’t seen black swan, but I found her a little flat in closer. Maybe that was just the role?
She was awful in Star Wars and the worst thing in the Thor movies. Black Swan suited her, though.
Agree with you.
Playing a crazy person suited her well. I wonder why?
Chris Hemsworth out acted her for Pete’s sakes.
I was surprised to find out that he’s not just a pretty face…! not that Thor requires much acting, but I thought he was decent in “Rush”, that auto-racing movie.
Yeah. She is a not great actress who was especially bad in the Star Wars clunkers. Dialogue was terrible.
My friends and I would say “hold me like you did by the lakes on nabu” during a quiet moment in class to get the rest of us to crack up. It was THAT bad.
I hate sand…
Hahahahahahahahaha
Omg. Thor. She just kept showing up in the background after his family died. WTF. Also what was her appeal? “I love her. We talked for 45 minutes and in my thousand years I have never had a more boring… I mean amazing conversation. I love her”. Swear to god she is Thor’s beard.
I’m not a fan but I remember finding her charming in Garden State.
Yeah this is what I mean, she’s no acting heavyweight but in cute and charming films she’s delivering
I came down here to say something similar. Garden state was one of her better roles
I loved her in Where the Heart is.
Star Wars sucked, for many reasons. Hayden was terrible, the writing was terrible, even Yoda couldn’t save the movies 🙁
Yeah, she was decent in Garden State, but she was best in The Professional; there was so much promise. Since then, not really wowed.
manic pixie dream girl. I hated that movie.
I absolutely loved her in closer, garden state, the professional and black swan. I don’t think she is hands down the best actress ever lived, but I don’t think she is terrible either. She is solid, she makes some good movies. She sucks in thor, but I thought thor was a bad movie in general. same with the star wars movies.
Her son is such a pretty boy.
Yes, may be she seems to be a little bit limited in her roles. In V for Vendetta (though I love this film) she wasn’t that convincing and I can’t stand her crying face but I like her friendly face. She should try more comedy and not pretending to be the most ambitious and talented actress out there.
She has the same problem as Goop. They make these puppy dog eyes that is supposed to convey deep hurt.
how old is that header pic?
looks like she has a new nose…oh, and she IS a horrible actress. not that the dialogue in SW was very good, but she was as wooden as my desk.
I can’t really put all the blame on Natalie Portman for Star Wars because the script wasn’t that great anyway. Even Ewan Mcgregor was just so so in those movies, the dialogues were awful.
And i’m sorry but Annette Benning should’ve win that year. I loved her so much in The Kids are Alright. She gave a great performance AND she had chemistry with Julianne Moore. It’s one of my favorite movies of hers.
THANK YOU! Annette Benning deserved that award, the only way that would’ve been possible is if she and Warren had adopted or were expecting a child via a surrogate.
Her whole career is based on who she knows.
To be fair, isn’t that the case with most people (particularly in Hollywood)?
As a child, like most child actors, her charisma and precociousness carried her far.
I think she’s OK, but she’s not amazing, and it’s clear from the Sony emails that despite the Oscar… she’s still doesn’t have the heat of some actresses. I mean she had to beg for the wife role in Jobs, which is kind of embarrassing.
Well, it would seem this is one of those cases where ‘everyone’ is dead right, Natalie.
Portman is similar to her lookalike Kiara Knightley in that she puts me off going to see any film she’s in. Her range runs from pouty to sulky and then back to pouty again. And they give out Oscars for this?
Yeah, I don’t think Keira is good either.
I agree with you both. Two mostly bland actresses. Keira is probably worse than Natalie because of her jaw and weird pouting.
I actually have to disagree and say I LOVE Keira. I liked her in Pirates and I thought she was spectacular in Anna Karenina.
Agree. Keira is awesome.
You’re so right about Knightley! I saw her in “A dangerous method” : those jaw mouvements she makes every 30 seconds ughhhh… at the end of the movie I wanted to puch her chin so hard.
She was a convincing scientist in Thor.
She has zero chemistry with Chris Hemsworth. Oddest couple.
She is mostly terrible and wooden but I feel like among the large audience she’s seen like one of the best actresses nowadays. It shows perfectly that a good Oscar campaign can do wonders. Like you just have to convince people that you’re good no matter if you really are. God, I used to like her “acting”. God, I was so wrong.
I will never understand how she went from being so good in Leon to absolutely and utterly terrible in every single thing she has been in!
She hasn’t been a good actor since the Professional.
It must be really depressing to realise you peaked ages 13.
If she had her Oscar at 13, you’d have a point. But unless she takes internet snark seriously and ignores facts, it is pretty clear her career didn’t peak until she won the Oscar.
Yep, count me in for hating her in Star Wars but her costar Hayden Christensen was worse. I don’t hold it against her as I hated the prequels in general. I liked her in Garden State and in the Thor films. I think she’s great in an ensemble cast. I’m not as fond of her leading roles. It’s a good thing she has her Harvard degree to fall back on. She did say she’d rather be smart than make it in the movies or some such thing.
ITA about Hayden Christensen. He was astonishingly terrible, my orchid plant has more life.
my DEAD orchid plant has more life.
doofus, lol. I should have clarified, even my scraggly, nearly lifeless orchid plant has more life than HC as Anakin.
Shattered glass is the only movie Hayden Christensen has ever been good in.
Christensen was really good in Shattered Glass, but his problem is that he was terribly miscast as Anakin Skywalker. The expectations were great for that role, and it called for someone with great presence and charisma, which he simply doesn’t have.
She is so beautiful, but I’ve always hated her. So overrated in every way possible, but she’ll continue to have a great career. Ugh.
She was awful in Star Wars, but the whole thing was a mess. SHE WAS AWESOME in V for Vendetta.
MKYARWOOD, I’m in agreement with you – V for Vendetta was great and NP was brilliant in it, imo. And it was definitely dialogue- and acting-driven. Not some cgi romp (the Star Wars prequels really were horrific – script, direction, production).
I think she’s a great actress and she definitelt deserved her Oscar. She wasn’t great in Star Wars, but no one really was (especially Hayden was WAY worse than her). I don’t get why everyone on this site hate her so much. I think she’s a better actress than Angelina Jolie, who everyone here seem to adore (I like Angelina too and I think she’s the most beautiful woman ever, but she isn’t a remarkable actress IMO.)
Glimmer
Jolie is liked her more for her humanitarian work. She gives great interviews, has no pr, and takes a great photo. Those are just a few reasons. It’s a very smal part she gets praise of over her acting. If any really.
And go to Portman’s imdb page. Scroll through. How many movies did you like/have you seen of hers. Because the majority of roles were absolutely terrible and box office/reviews reflected that. Also, her Oscar isn’t won on merit. There was heavy campaigning and silencing those who claimed she did minimal dancing in film. Part of the portman did her own dance scenes was why the Oscar went her way. On top of that there are 2 reasons a woman will win the Oscar that trumps talent. Major transformation into role. and 3rd trimester pregnancy. Portman had both. It’s a joke, but true a pregnancy helps chances. That’s why there’s baby and family talk during campaigns if not already pregnant.
Lol, FLORC. One of the reasons that I’m such a huge fan of Angelina is because I do think that she is very charismatic in her performances, and uplifts whatever film she’s in. That’s why I like her as an actress. She has a je ne sais quoi quality about her. I don’t think she’s the best, nor do I think she’s awful. I think she’s a good actress. I also find it interesting about how her filmography and her life entertwine. She picked a lot more interesting, meaty roles when she was younger (one of my absolute favorite movies of hers is this tv movie called True Women that she did when she was 19/20–she played a part Native American woman, slave owner, mother–all before/during/after the Civil War. Very interesting take/narrative on the ‘good’ slave owners), but it also corresponds with what she said about how her life didn’t have a sense of purpose–so she tried to find that purpose through her work. It seems like as soon as she started in on the Humanitarian work, that’s when she started with easier roles (kids movies, nothing special films).
I’ve seen about 90% of her movies, and I didn’t HER in Life or Something Like it (I’m still mad about her ‘lover’….when you have a woman as gorgeous as Angelina, give her an equally gorgeous love interest.), The Tourist (I hated Johnny’s character/the entire story more than Angelina–they both had NO chemistry, which to make the storyline work, you need to have that), and a few others from her early, PRE-Madddox work.
And Lord–with Portman I’ve seen her in Thor, Star Wars movies, and Black Swan. I honestly don’t think she’s anything special as an actress. I will jump through hoops of fire to go see movies with Angelina Jolie, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Viola Davis, etc…..all of Natalie’s movies, I’ve watched have been almost on accident, lol.
But one thing I find interesting is that a lot of talented actors don’t do very good films–at least not in my mind. Like Joaquin Phoenix. I think he is a tremendously talented actor. I’ve seen the majority of his films, and I like only Gladiator, The Master, and The Village (haven’t seen Her).
“Part of the portman did her own dance scenes was why the Oscar went her way”
I COMPLETELY disagree. You forget, Oscars are voted on by movie people. It doesn’t seem out of the ordinary to have experts stand in for dancing/stunts/etc.
She got her Oscar for all of the acting she did in between dance scenes. Her character was mentally unraveling, that gave her some scenes to chew on.
@Tiffany I disagree that it didn’t play a part at all. Her campaign was genius. She fell in love with a man from the movie. She was having a baby. She trained for a year for that role. She herself has this image of an intellectual who is insanely talented at anything. That’s also how she sees herself. And she hasn’t done ANYTHING notable since Black Swan. She’s just not good at her job. Her performance in Black Swan was decent, but not Oscar worthy imo.
Yes the Oscars are voted on by movie people, but note there is a tactic, there is a campaign. None of these people would even be nominated without a campaign. Her being young and beautiful already gave her a major headstart. http://www.vulture.com/2013/02/five-oscar-tactics-hollywood-swears-will-work.html
The only movie I actually enjoy her in is Thor. She’s quite funny in the role. Despite the fact that the whole movie is utter sh-t. She’s easily one of the more enjoyable aspects of it. Where the heart is is also a good movie and a good performance by Portman.
VC
I blanked on all the great films Jolie has been a part of. And it is interesting how she seems to dive right into research on her behind the camera movies. I do love that.
Tiffany
The bulk of Portman’s Oscar campaign was how she transformed into a dancer. How she accomplished in a years time what it takes dancers to accomplish in 15 years or so. It was put out her training schedule, diet, exercise, and all the injuries she got for it. This was the majority of the campaign and it’s tough to think without that her acting would win her the Oscar. Also, why the actual dancers claims she did a large majority of the on camera dancing (leg work/silhouettes/distance/motion shots) was such a scandal. Because that got her the Oscar. Her acting was the same she’d pull out in other films.
And I maintain if a nominee for best or supporting actress is 3rd trimester pregnant they win. It’s been said numerous times the academy loves seeing a pregnant woman win.
I loved her in Beautiful Girls.
Lol, such bs. She was not in the biggest-grossing movie of the decade. The biggest-grossing movie of the decade was Titanic. She’s a horrible wooden actress with zero charisma and apparently a liar too.
Stink, stank, stunk in Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium. Just awful. I think it’s safe to say the Star Wars movies didn’t label her a bad actress. In fact, there was so much more going on in the SW movies that it drew away from her acting skills. She was ok in Thor, though……
Never the greatest fan I went off her when she claimed that she’d done 98%+ of the dancing scenes in Black Swan. Which is manifestly untrue as anyone with eyes can testify.
…and for a movie about ballet, there is remarkably little unedited, uninterrupted dancing in Black Swan (compare it with Altman’s The Company or Center Stage or even A Chorus Line).
I like her in Thor, as she somehow balances the overacting from the rest of the cast, but she’s really really overrated.
And the only good thing in TPM was Liam Neeson.
Everybody was right.
She is very wooden in every role. How she became A-list in her age group is from her PR shouting it as she’s pretty forgettable in every movie she’s in. And for all their shouting that she’s A-list, she doesn’t seem to get offered the plum roles. Maybe her acting being so-so (but many in Hollywood get work despite that) doesn’t get her the parts, but I’ve often thought it’s more her lack of personality on and off screen. She takes herself SO SERIOUSLY and seems to have no humor. She has a b-face on most of the time in real life and seems very unpleasant. So maybe many in Hollywood don’t want to work with her, not fun enough to be around PLUS not a box office draw. So she’s not cutesy bubbly enough to play cutesie roles and she’s not a good enough actress to be offered the meatier, dramatic GOOD ones, so that doesn’t leave her much. Likely why her agent was begging for her to do the Jobs biopic as evidenced by the Sony leaks. If NP disappeared from the Hollywood forest, would anybody really care?! (or notice?!).
I agree she takes herself very, very seriously and thinks of herself as an Artist, but they all do, whether they show it or not. Except maybe Keanu Reeves and a few others. I agree she’s not a great actress at all and has been overly recognised and compensated for her mediocre talent. But she occasionally lands roles that are perfect for her range.
Clearly I am of the minority opinion here, but I think she is very talented. Not every actor is made for every role. I was not a fan of those Star Wars movies either, but I’m old school.
I was moved by her performance in “Where the Heart Is.”
Also in the movie with Jake G and Tobey M . . . and loved her in Cold Mtn . . .
I’m with you. I think she can act. I’m not surprised she isn’t liked here, but because of that to discredit her acting..
I forgot she was in Cold Mountain. Seems everyone in Hollywood had a hand in that film.
I think she’s done more flops that she acted poorly in than flops or hits that she acted well in.
And there was no excuse for Your Highness or No Strings Attached. But that’s my take.
AntiStupid
Not surprised? This is a fairly balanced site with opinions explained. Are you saying your opinion differs from that of many here? Or that there’s usually a negative stance by the majority here? J/C
Jake was good. Nat and Tobey were awful.
I thought Natalie just looked depressed (or horny for a little while) in that Brothers movie. I can’t stand Tobey’s angsty, wide-eyed looked in every film. Jake is always good.
Natalie is an ok actress in my opinion. She was great in Black Swan (regardless whether or not she did most of the dancing) but I don’t think she deserved the Oscar. She’s pretty and smart…that’s why hollywood loves her.
maybe when she gets over herself, her childhood talent will reignite? otherwise, cosign, highly overrated and incredibly lucky to have been in some movies. Probably works hard, sells her Harvard ‘smarts’ and it doesn’t hurt that she’s pretty.
I really feel sorry for Hayden’s career, God that movie was a real menace for all involved.
She really was hyped when she was younger. She’s not the worst actress to have ever lived, but she was touted as some kind of prodigy and acting genius when she was a kid. I think the fact that she fell so far short of what was expected of her (even from herself) is sort of startling.
I’m speculating but I think a lot of it was older men/casting agents/producers fawning over this petite, gamine muse. I mean, look at Leon. The original script had the 12/13 year old initiating sex with the father figure. I really do think at least part of her appeal is the fact that she fitted in with that lolita fantasy when she was younger.
Oh that definitely played a large part. And the fact that she’s beautiful helped to carry that momentum on in her life. She was also like Scarlett Johannsson in trying to seem intellectual as well, except she’s at least better in that regard.
I think she’s terrible. She deserved a nomination for Black Swan simply because it was a decent performance in the film. And the film itself was decent. Not a win. I think I stated previously that I was annoyed that her Oscar received an asterisk, but I was in 100% agreement with folks about her saying she did a ton of the dancing. I thought her statement on that was ingenious and ridiculous and definitely played a major part of her campaign. But she’s hardly the first actress or even actor to do that.
I still think she deserved a nom because if Bale and all of the cast of American Hustle can get noms for that steaming pile of sh-t film, then BS can too.
I think that goes to Anna Paquin. I keep thinking…what happened? Kirsten Dunst isn’t too bad, but in her 20s, I didn’t like very much of her performances.
The prequel trilogy made everyone look bad. Heck, the only two people to escape
unscathed were Samuel L Jackson, because he played the sagely black mentor with little do, and Liam Neeson because they chopped him in half. Everyone else who wasn’t in full facial makeup was pretty wrecked. You can only do so much with a terrible script, a terrible director, and a once genius Ego-maniac controlling everything. George Lucas was the predecessor to Ryan Murphy. Someone who can come up with genius concepts, but then run them into the ground after riding high for a bit.
I fully believe her on this one. Just look at how it destroyed Hayden Christiansen’s career – and “Life as a House” suggested he did have legitimate talent potential in him. Even Ewan McGregor seemed to slow down or go more indie post-SW. (As for her personally, I think she’s a decent-to-good actress depending on the material, but she’s not in the league of, say, Streep or Blanchett.)
At least she managed to come out of it. If I were Hayden Christensen and looking at her quote right now, I don’t think I’d be sympathetic.
Hayden hasn’t chosen his roles well since then. I think he’s chosen/or been offered mainly teen-type roles.
I’ve watched her movies since Leon, and good acting from her is the exception, not the norm. Cold Mountain, Closer, and Love and other Impossible Things are a few good Natalie performances. Most of the rest – stay away, far, far away. Black Swan was a misogynist mess that was as deep as a puddle in terms of “artistic” insight.
Stunning, stunning woman but limited emotional range. Doesn’t matter today, as you can still win Oscars based on box office appeal and hype. She’s incredibly beautiful, did I mention that?
This article being quoted is putting out a selective filmography on Portman. She did:
The Other Boleyn Girl – Portman played Anne Boleyn. Compared to Natalie Dormer’s turn of that character in The Tudors the performance was lackluster.
Portman did “Your Highness”, where the selling point in the trailer was Portman’s character was in a thong. She was in “No Strings Attached” with Ashton Kutcher, which was an absolute turkey as well.
Leaving these out and the Thor franchise look like a puff piece put out by her team to make her look like the second-coming of Meryl Streep; that the Star Wars prequel was the only bad spot in her acting CV. Nobody forced her to do the movies. It now makes me think about the rumor that Portman wanted out of Thor 2 and Marvel forced her to honor her contract. For her agent to beg for a role in the Jobs movie as implied in the leaked Sony emails, I wonder if Marvel Studios put the word out that Portman is a diva on the set and big studios were not willing to hire her for a picture. Portman may have an Oscar, but she doesn’t have the juice that really counts in Hollywood: put butts in the seats in movie theaters, have a movie open at #1 one the weight of her name alone and create a big box office haul for the movie she’s in. It explains her breaking with her long-time agent and doing movies in Europe.
The Star Wars prequels are amazing!
You can’t say the sun sets in the eat and not explain why you think that. Please explain how you think the prequels were amazing?
Wasn’t the little kid in that movie taunted mercilessly? Somehow, I feel he had it worse….
Her best performance was in Leon. Everything else, meh.
UM. In no way does that kid look like her husband, Benny Twinkletoes. He does look an awful lot like Darren Aronofsky, though. Jussayin’
So that’s what drove Rachel Weisz into the arms of her now husband Daniel Craig? Darren Aronofsky knocked her up? Surprise, surprise. The karmic cycle will be complete when her husband Benjamin Millepied has an affair with Rachel Weisz while Daniel Craig knocks up a random girl who resembles Kim Kardashian(why else do you think he jumped on the denouncing the Kardashians bandwagon? He literally has a hard on for Kim, duh!). Cycle completed! /sarcasm
On a positive note, making up this conspiracy theory was fun!
The only reason she even won that Academy Award that year was because she was breeding, er, I mean, pregnant.
Sorry about the double posting of my comment.
The only reason she even won that Academy Award that year was because she was breeding pregnant.