Natalie Portman is a wonderful actress no doubt. Her portrayals often take the viewers along on the journey, instilling a sense of familiarity and authenticity in any role she takes. Not only can she brilliantly act out any role, but her incredible acting range has allowed her to play memorable roles across different genres.
Her latest film, May December, yet again showcases the immense talent the Oscar-winning actress holds. Despite the movie being somewhat controversial, it engages in themes of infidelity, grooming, and complex human relationships. Despite being an accomplished actress, Portman revealed that a small aspect of the movie made her almost break out of her complex character.
Natalie Portman Struggled With This One Aspect Of Her May December Character
Described as dark, unsettling, daring, and messed up (as Portman’s movies usually are), May December showcased how wonderful an actress Natalie Portman is. Despite the complex nature of her role, she brilliantly shines through playing an actress who goes on to meet Gracie Atheryon-Yoo, who left her ex-husband to pursue a relationship with a 13-year-old.
Portraying an actress in the movie, she is supposed to portray Gracie in a movie. However, things become more complex when she becomes too entangled with Gracie and her family. Given the dark storyline and unsettling themes, there was one small aspect of the role that Portman found deeply challenging.
In an interview with Cinema Blend, Portman stated,
“It was the hardest thing not to like make fun of it. ‘Cause of course, it’s so easy to laugh at myself. And you know, so much of what we do is completely absurd. So, I think that was the challenge not to laugh at it too much.”
Even though she found the role challenging, Portman’s portrayal of Elizabeth trying to copy Gracie was one of the best performances she has ever done.
Also Read: Natalie Portman’s Innocence Made Drew Barrymore Feel Bad About Herself For Getting Drunk at 20
Reason Why Natalie Portman Agreed To Do May December
Natalie Portman can often be found delivering exceptional performances, but it is her performances within the realm of ‘emotional thrillers’ that she earns the most praise and acclaim. And May December is yet again another emotional thriller, featuring the actress as a deeply flawed and complex character.
But why would she return to the theme again and again? In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the actress stated,
“Being a public person from a very young age and having a feeling like there was a private me and a public me — a me that other people thought I was and the me I pretended to be [for other people]…. I’m so curious about accepting the artifice in what we do and leaning into it and exploring it.. I feel similarly in film that there’s another way to approach it that’s not just going for naturalism. I can have a lot of emotional expressiveness through embracing artifice and performance.”
Well, fans are hardly complaining for Portman’s performances within and outside the genre continue to amaze them.
May December is now streaming on Netflix.
