Inspiring Words: Natalie Portman
The Star Wars queen talks about successfully making the transition from child actor to grown-up movie star.
Natalie Portman has a reputation in Hollywood — for maturity, strength, and intelligence. Those attributes are reflected in the roles she chooses to play, from the quietly decisive Princess Amidala in the Star Wars trilogy to the willful adolescent at the heart of The Diary of Anne Frank. This fall, the Academy Award-nominated actress starred in Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium as a spunky sales clerk in a magic toy store.
Off-screen, Portman's life choices are just as revealing. At age 13, she famously declared, "I'd rather be smart than be a movie star." That philosophy led her to enroll at Harvard and put her acting career on hold during the school year. "[College] taught me to be bold and confident," says the 26 year old, "and that questions are never stupid." Portman's relationships also boosted her confidence. "I always felt I could mess up because my parents and friends were behind me," she says. "The best thing is not to be afraid of consequences. Just go for what you want to do."
Portman does just that — when considering a role, she looks for something "new and interesting." Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium appealed to her partly because she wanted to do a children's movie. But the fantastic plot also attracted her: "As adults, we forget how much mystery there is in the world. Somehow, we lose the wonder we had as kids to that arrogance of knowing."
