Natalie Portman crafted 'good girl' image to counter childhood sexualization

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 27 Oct, 05:32 · Archive

Natalie Portman says she deliberately created a 'good girl' persona as a child star to protect herself from sexualization.

Natalie Portman has revealed how being sexualized as a child star in Hollywood led her to deliberately construct a protective image. The Oscar-winning actress told Harper's Bazaar that after appearing in dark-themed films early in her career, including the 1994 thriller 'Léon: The Professional', she felt the need to counter the provocative image associated with her roles.

Portman and her parents made a conscious effort to separate her on-screen persona from her real life. She chose conservative, age-appropriate clothing for red carpet appearances and remained focused on her education and academic success. 'I think there was a conscious effort, because I was depicted as this sexualized Lolita, that I wanted to be like, 'No, I'm serious, I'm a good girl, I'm a prude, I'm smart, I'm a student,' emphasizing that as almost a safety mechanism,' she said.

As her career progressed, Portman gravitated toward complex, emotionally demanding roles, earning an Oscar for 'Black Swan' and a nomination for 'Jackie'. However, the serious image she cultivated, combined with these roles, created a lasting misconception about her personality. Portman noted that over time, everyone assumes she is genuinely serious, when she is actually very silly and loves to laugh and goof off.

How it is being reported

• Natalie Portman says being sexualized as a child star forced her to become a ‘good girl’ as protectionOscar winner Natalie Portman said early Hollywood roles led her to craft a safety mechanism that shaped her imageNew York Post · 27 Oct, 05:11
• Natalie Portman says being sexualized as a child star forced her to become a 'good girl' as protectionNatalie Portman reveals how she built a "good girl" persona to counter childhood sexualization in Hollywood and why it became a lasting trap.Fox News · 26 Oct, 21:40

In this story: Natalie Portman · Hollywood · Harper's Bazaar

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