Natalie Portman has revealed why she doesn't practice method acting when preparing for her upcoming roles.
The 42-year-old actress is currently starring in Todd Haynes' May. December is known for her incredible variety of roles throughout her film career.
She lost 20 pounds to play a prima ballerina in “Black Swan” and spent 10 months strengthening herself to wield a magical hammer in “Thor: Love and Thunder.” But the star has now revealed that she doesn't use method acting to get into the role.
Method acting is a technique in which actors fully assume the role of a character using an emotion-oriented technique, as opposed to traditional acting, which is primarily action-based.
Speaking to The Wall Street Journal Magazine, Natalie explained: “I'm very interested in roles, but I think it's honestly a luxury that women can't afford.”
Natalie Portman, 42, has revealed why she doesn't practice method acting, telling the Wall Street Journal that she considers it a “luxury that women can't afford.”
She explained: “I don't think children or partners would be very understanding of me constantly forcing everyone to call me 'Jackie Kennedy.'” (featured in the 2016 biographical drama “Jackie”)
“I don't think children or partners would be very understanding if I constantly force everyone to call me 'Jackie Kennedy'.”
Robert De Niro is one of the most famous method actors after taking on 12-hour shifts as a taxi driver for his role in 1976's Taxi Driver.
But when Natalie referenced her role as John F. Kennedy's grieving wife Jacqueline in the 2016 biographical drama of the same name, she explained that she couldn't fit the role into her family home.
The star has been married to French dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied since 2012, but they are now believed to have split – the couple share two children, Aleph, 12, and Amalia, 6.
In her latest role in May-December, Natalie plays the emotional manipulator Elizabeth, an actress who strives for prestige and recognition.
As Elizabeth prepares for her next role – the role of Gracie (Julianne Moore), who seduced a 13-year-old when she was 36 – Elizabeth goes to unusual and exploitative lengths to understand the woman's motivations.
Discussing how she used experiences from her own career to play an actress looking for a role in the new film, she explained: “There's just an awareness of all levels of performance from the actual role .” [to] “The kind of performance that Elizabeth might need to walk into a barbecue and seem really down-to-earth and friendly and make people comfortable.”
After Sunday's Golden Globes, Bradley Cooper was ridiculed by movie fans after missing out on a prestigious award for the Netflix Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro,” losing out in the best actor category to Oppenheimer's Cillian Murphy.
While Natalie lost 20 pounds to play a prima ballerina in Black Swan, she explained: “I was very interested in roles, but I think that's how it is.” [method acting] Honestly, it's a luxury that women can't afford.
In her latest role in May December, Natalie plays the emotional manipulator Elizabeth, an actress who strives for prestige and recognition (pictured in the November 2023 premiere).
After Sunday's Golden Globes, Bradley Cooper was mocked by film fans after missing out on a prestigious award for the Netflix biopic “Maestro,” about Leonard Bernstein
Bradley practiced method acting for the role and even stayed in character while directing the scenes.
Explaining that he has been using method acting since he starred opposite Christian Bale in 2018's American Hustle, he revealed: “I've played Lenny his whole life.” I spent three to six hours every day Makeup trailer before the crew arrived.
“It was hilarious because back in the days when I was little Lenny, the energy on set was faster and we got more done.” And when I was the old Lenny, things slowed down. If you ask the crew or cast, Lenny directed the film.
He added to The Hollywood Reporter: “I have hand signals with the sound mixer and the cameraman. “I'm not calling for action. After everything is set up, I just start talking and bring the actors along, and often they don't know we're getting started.
“And then they say, 'The scene is over.' And they say, “Huh?” I am [playing] Lenny Bernstein, so I'm not breaking into the role.