Natalie Portman Explains to Jenna Ortega How to Survive Hollywood After 'Leon' Actress Opens Up About 'Lolita Phase' and Being Sexualized In Movies Aged 12
Natalie Portman has revealed how to survive Hollywood to her co-star Jenna Ortega in a new interview.
April 17 2025, Published 7:09 p.m. ET
Natalie Portman has revealed how to survive Hollywood to her co-star Jenna Ortega.
The Black Swan actress also opened up about being sexualized at a young age when she got started in the movie business, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Black Swan actress also opened up about being sexualized at a young age.
Portman, 43, had a chat with her co-star Ortega via Zoom, and the two discussed how to survive the business in a new interview with Interview magazine – and it all starts with having "people in your life who keep you on the ground."
The actress explained: "My parents always kept my feet on the ground, but later I had friends who would tell me something that no one else would, or they’d help me navigate the world. Everyone’s so nice to you when you’re an actor and it’s sometimes hard to see the signs that someone’s not a great person.
"When you have friends that can be like, 'Oh, they were really nice to you, but they didn’t even say hi to me,' it helps you navigate when you’re being pampered all the time.
"Also, a lot of people just turn into yes-people, which is not a good way to be a person in the world. You need a little feedback like 'It’s not cool when you do this' to understand how you can be the best possible person."
During the interview, Portman reflected back on her days as a young star and how that impacted her.
During the interview, Portman reflected back on her days as a young star and how that impacted her when she skyrocketed to fame at just 13 years old.
Portwood explained: "I think there’s a public understanding of me that’s different from who I am. I’ve talked about it a little before—about how, as a kid, I was really sexualized, which I think happens to a lot of young girls who are onscreen. I felt very scared by it.
"Obviously sexuality is a huge part of being a kid, but I wanted it to be inside of me, not directed towards me. And I felt like my way of protecting myself was to be like, 'I’m so serious. I’m so studious. I’m smart, and that’s not the kind of girl you attack.' I was like, if I create this image of myself, I’ll be left alone."
The ladies discussed the "tropes" in the film industry.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The ladies discussed the "tropes" in the film industry, which Portman further explained at different points of her career, "there was a different one."
She added: "Obviously, there was a long Lolita phase, then there was the long 'chick who helps the guy realize his emotional thing' phase for about a decade. And now I feel like it’s 'mothers who have harmed children,' which is just like, I cannot emotionally go there.
"So yeah, there’s a lot of the same tropes, but those are always helpful for pinpointing when something really special comes through. It really stands out when you get something complex and beautiful and original."
