Actress Natalie Portman has had a long and distinguished career in Hollywood, appearing in hit franchises such as the Star Wars prequel trilogy and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Portman started her film acting career as a child actor with the 1994 film Léon: The Professional.
While promoting the film, a thirteen-year-old Portman appeared on a late-night talk show. During the appearance, Portman made a scandalous claim about her father’s profession that landed her family in a humiliating position. However, the hilarious anecdote was mostly taken in a fun way. Here is how Portman described her father’s profession leading to a hilarious reaction from the audience.
Natalie Portman Landed Her Family in Trouble With a Hilarious Confession
Natalie Portman appeared on an episode of the Late Show With David Letterman in 1994. At the time, thirteen-year-old Portman was starring in Léon: The Professional, alongside Gary Oldman. During her appearance on the late-night talk show, Portman was asked about her family background, including her father’s profession.
“When I was in Nursery School the teachers asked me what does your dad do for a living. So I said he helps women get pregnant.”
Portman made the above comment about her father, Avner Hershlag, who is a gynecologist by profession. The Thor: Love and Thunder actress added that her description led to an awkward phone call between her mother and teachers, where the situation was clarified.
Portman narrated the incident in a joking fashion, as she was young and contextualized her father’s profession in the terms she could understand. Nonetheless, it is easy to understand how her comments might have landed her family in an awkward position in her school.
Natalie Portman’s Father Once Wanted Her to Quit Hollywood
Presently, Portman is one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood, with an Academy Award and two Golden Globes to her name. She started acting at a young age and quickly shot to stardom with a string of commercial projects in Hollywood. As a result, it might come as a surprise that Portman’s father once wanted her to quit acting altogether.
In a 2016 interview with Variety, Portman explained the situation regarding her acting career, which led to her father suggesting she quit Hollywood. She said:
“I came from such a serious, academic family, where the only thing that was acceptable was to be very literate and educated — you become a professor or a doctor or a lawyer.”
Portman added that when she was 25 years old, her father suggested she pursue formal education by attending law school or grad school.
Portman clarified that while her father was not against her acting career, he felt she would feel more fulfilled if she pursued an educational field. As a result, Portman revealed she felt compelled to explore other fields but ultimately decided that she loved acting.
Portman’s upcoming projects include the Fountain of Youth, a heist adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie, and the Apple TV+ miniseries Lady in the Lake, based on the book of the same name, where she also serves as an executive producer.
