EXCLUSIVE: The One Reason Fans are Raging Natalie Portman is in Line to Play Tormented Singer Sinéad O'Connor
Fans have raged over Natalie Portman’s casting as tormented singer Sinéad O’Connor.
Aug. 26 2025, Published 9:15 a.m. ET
Natalie Portman is said to be the frontrunner to play Sinéad O'Connor in a major new biopic of the singer – but the news has sparked backlash from fans who believe one key detail could undermine the performance, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 44-year-old Oscar-winning actress is said to be the top choice of producers working on the project, which will chronicle O'Connor's early life and rise to fame.
Best known for her 1990 hit Nothing Compares 2 U, the tormented songbird died in 2023 at the age of 56.
Portman's Potential For The Role
Natalie Portman emerged as the frontrunner to play Sinéad O’Connor in a new biopic.
A film based on her life is being developed by a consortium of Irish and international production companies including See-Saw Films, Nine Daughters and I.E. Entertainment, with funding support from BBC Film.
Industry insiders said Portman had impressed filmmakers with her ability to transform physically for roles, making her first choice for the O'Connor role.
One source said: "They think she has the same striking presence as Sinéad and believe she has the intensity to capture her story."
Another added: "She is the spitting image of Sinéad when she shaved her head for V for Vendetta. The resemblance is uncanny when she shaves her head, like Sinéad did, and the producers feel she could deliver a powerful performance."
Backlash From Sinéad's Loyal Fans
Producers believe Portman can capture O’Connor’s intensity and striking presence.
But while some observers agree the resemblance between the stars is clear, many fans online are less convinced Portman can master the Irish accent required for the part.
One social media user blasted: "Well now you mention it I could see the resemblance, but her accent is gonna be shagging terrible."
Another wrote: "She is very talented, but nothing in her career suggests she will be able to pull off an authentic Irish voice."
Others questioned why an Irish actress had not been chosen instead.
"She'll be awful. There are so many Irish actors. Shame that celebrity is more important than talent," one user posted.
Another added: "I understand the need for a Hollywood name, but you mean to tell me there isn't a single Irish actress who could have faithfully played the role and brought the charisma?"
Portman previously shaved her head for V for Vendetta, drawing comparisons to O’Connor’s look.
The biopic is being directed by Josephine Decker, who won acclaim for Shirley (2020), a portrait of horror writer Shirley Jackson starring Elisabeth Moss.
The script is being written by Irish writer Stacey Gregg, whose credits include Mary and George, Little Birds and The Letter for the King.
Producers include Nine Daughters founder Fodhla Cronin O'Reilly, alongside Iain Canning and Emile Sherman from See-Saw Films – the Oscar-winning team behind The King's Speech and The Power of the Dog.
Neil Chordia is also producing, with Tim Clark serving as executive producer for I.E. Entertainment.
O'Connor's life has long attracted filmmakers.
She first captured global attention with Nothing Compares 2 U, its stark video showing her tearful performance before a white backdrop.
Her career was also marked by controversy – most famously in 1992 when she tore up a photograph of Pope John Paul II during a performance of Bob Marley's War on Saturday Night Live, declaring: "Fight the real enemy."
The act, intended as a protest against abuse in the Catholic church, led to her being banned by NBC and booed days later at a Bob Dylan tribute concert in New York.
O'Connor gained global fame with 'Nothing Compares 2 U,' featuring her tearful performance against a white backdrop.
Why Portman Is The Number One Choice
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Some social media users argued an Irish actress should have been cast instead.
She later converted to Islam in 2018 and remained outspoken on issues of religion, child abuse, women's rights and racism.
In a 2021 interview with the New York Times, she said of the SNL protest: "I'm not sorry I did it. It was brilliant."
A source close to the biopic on her said: "This film about Sinéad is going to be as unflinching as her life was – and Natalie is a perfectionist when it comes to dark, demanding roles. That's why she is their number one choice."
