Natalie Portman's first film role was when she was just 12 years old. The film "Léon: The Professional" made Portman instantly famous.
It's been 30 years since Léon: The Professional (1994) hit theaters, and the film's lead actress, Natalie Portman, is still haunted by it. Recently, star Natalie Portman shared in an interview that children should not work in Hollywood.
"I would never encourage children or underage teenagers to try acting and work in Hollywood," the 42-year-old actress affirmed.
As she grew up and gained more experience in Hollywood, Portman truly appreciated her parents for what they did for her (Photo: New York Post).
Portman said she has no regrets about starting her acting career at the age of 12, because she was very lucky to have parents who were always there for her, paying attention to every detail to help protect her thoroughly during her participation in film projects.
"I feel very lucky that I didn't suffer any harm when I started my acting career early. That comes from having parents who are very protective of their children, and they are really great," Portman shared.
She admitted that when she was young, when she didn't understand everything, she didn't like the fact that her parents always followed and controlled her every move. But as she grew up and experienced more in Hollywood, Portman truly appreciated what her parents did for her.
"I've heard so many bad and sad stories that I don't think any child should be acting early in Hollywood. In fact, I don't think children should work early. Children should just go to school and play with their friends," Portman concluded. Currently, Natalie Portman is the mother of two young children, including son Aleph (12 years old) and daughter Amalia (6 years old).
Looking back at Portman's role in Léon: The Professional, the role required a lot of maturity for Portman to get into character. There were scenes that required her to smoke and drink. The film contained many violent scenes that were not appropriate for teenagers. However, Portman gave an impressive performance despite this being her first challenging role.
The film tells the story of a young girl named Mathilda, who trains to become an assassin under the guidance of a real assassin - Léon. This film is quite controversial, directed by Luc Besson.
The most controversial aspect of the film is the implied relationship between young Mathilda and Léon, a middle-aged man who works as a hitman. Léon takes on Mathilda as her bodyguard and trainer. In some scenes that were cut for the film's release in some countries, there is a scene that depicts Mathilda and Léon going to a restaurant together, with Mathilda drinking to the point of intoxication.
While drunk, Mathilda repeatedly tried to kiss the assassin Léon. Later, as an adult, Portman shared that she had a panic attack after the film. After the film's release, she was excited to receive a lot of fan mail, but in one letter, a man wrote a fictional story about how he became Mathilda's lover.
The most controversial aspect of the film is the implication of the relationship between the girl Mathilda and the assassin Léon (Photo: New York Post).
That "creepy" letter shocked 13-year-old Portman more than the shocking movie she had just starred in. The experience forever changed Portman's perspective on cinema and acting.
Portman said that since receiving the "horrifying" fan letter, she has decided to change the way she chooses roles. Portman refuses any role that has kissing or sensitive scenes. She is afraid that she will be seen as a "sex symbol".
Because of the sexualization of her early roles, Portman found herself having some issues as she entered adulthood. She was always afraid to show her sexuality.
Fearing that she would be seen as a "sex symbol", Portman has always emphasized in interviews that she loves reading, is studious, and has a serious personality. These things have gradually led to rumors that she is "stylish, pretentious, eccentric, and conservative". However, Portman believes that her somewhat excessive seriousness is what she needs to feel more secure.
When auditioning for the film project Léon: The Professional, Portman was initially not given the role of Mathilda, because she was too young (Photo: New York Post).
"Many news sites even counted down to my 18th birthday as a metaphor for when I could be an adult. Some film critics even commented on my body when I starred in my first film. Right after my first role, I knew I needed to change, otherwise I would feel insecure," Portman recalled.
As a child, Natalie Portman was approached by a model scout while sitting in a pizza parlor. Portman was 10 years old at the time. She quickly transitioned from child model to child actress.
When auditioning for the film project Léon: The Professional, Portman was initially not given the role of Mathilda, because she was too young, but director Luc Besson was so impressed with Portman that he decided to give her the role.
It was from this first role that Portman immediately became known in Hollywood as a promising acting talent. However, that first role also left Portman with many bad memories, which still haunt her 30 years later.
Hoang Ha, according to dantri.vn
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