Natalie Portman reveals how childhood sexualisation shaped her public image

The Oscar winner says she now hopes her work brings audiences more joy during difficult times

Natalie Portman has opened up about how being sexualised as a child actor influenced the way she presented herself in Hollywood, revealing that she adopted a “good girl” image as a form of protection.

In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the Oscar-winning actress reflected on the attention she received after beginning her film career at a young age. Her early credits included Léon: The Professional, released in 1994, alongside Heat and Beautiful Girls.

Portman said she consciously tried to counter the sexualised image associated with some of her early roles by emphasising her intelligence, education and reserved public persona.

“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 told the magazine.

However, the image she developed to protect herself eventually contributed to another misconception. Portman explained that people often assumed she was serious and perfectionistic, partly because of her performance in Black Swan, the 2010 psychological drama that earned her the Academy Award for best actress.

She stressed that her personality was different from that perception, saying she loved laughing and being playful. Her experiences at university also shaped her approach to work, including a phrase she recalled using with classmates: “Done, not good.”

Portman said her current priorities increasingly centre on joy, both in her personal life and in the work she hopes to share with audiences. She explained that, amid the difficult issues confronting people, offering moments of happiness through art feels especially meaningful.

The actress recently welcomed her third child with partner Tanguy Destable. She also shares two children, Aleph and Amalia, with former husband Benjamin Millepied, from whom she separated in 2024.

Portman said becoming a mother again has made her appreciate the fleeting early years of childhood while giving her a renewed perspective on watching her older children grow.