Natalie Portman says being sexualized as a child star pushed her to carefully control how the public saw her. The actress deliberately built a reserved “good girl” identity as protection from unwanted attention, only to discover that the serious persona remained attached to her throughout adulthood, as reported by Page Six.

Portman began acting in films with dark themes, including the 1994 thriller “Léon: The Professional,” as well as “Heat” and “Beautiful Girls.” Those early roles contributed to a provocative public image that Portman did not want to embrace in her personal life.

@RealEmirHan Oh this is such an easy one! Natalie Portman in Leon the Professional being 12 years old and singing Like a Virgin to the assassin. So fucking gross https://t.co/iOtLysj7dV

— tommy mehl (@MehLisCAT) February 29, 2024

While navigating Hollywood at a young age, Portman and her parents made a conscious effort to distinguish her screen persona from the person she was away from film sets. That separation became particularly important as she faced sexualized perceptions of her work.

Portman presented herself conservatively at public appearances rather than reflecting the image associated with some of her characters. She selected clothing appropriate for her age on red carpets while placing a strong emphasis on education and academic achievement.

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“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 Harper’s Bazaar.

As Portman grew older, she continued choosing complex roles that required emotionally demanding performances. She eventually won an Oscar for “Black Swan” and received another nomination for her portrayal in “Jackie.”

Her success also reinforced a public perception that did not fully reflect her personality. The serious identity she had developed for protection, combined with the intensity of her roles, left many people with a lasting misconception about who she was.

“But then, over time, it became like everyone thinks I’m really serious,” Portman noted.

Speaking of French directors sexualizing children, does anybody remember 12 year-old Natalie Portman in The Professional? https://t.co/ZUMT5kGLbK

— Lift the Veil (@lifttheveil411) August 20, 2020

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“I’m very silly, and I love to laugh more than anything, and I love to goof off. People always think I’m a perfectionist, I think, because of ‘Black Swan.’ I’m the opposite. I’m forgiving with myself. In college, we had a phrase: ‘Done, not good.’”

After spending much of her career portraying darker and more complicated characters, Portman said her creative priorities have changed. In the current phase of her career, she is interested in finding happiness for herself and offering that feeling to audiences.

“Right now, it’s a lot of joy,” she told the outlet of the current phase of her career. “I think it’s both for myself and what I hope to offer an audience, because it just feels … I mean, every time has dark moments, but it feels like there’s a lot of really heavy stuff going on. It’s just ever-present in our face, and so it does feel like the biggest service you can do right now as an artist is to deliver some joy.”

Portman has also experienced a joyful change in her personal life after recently welcoming a child with her partner, Tanguy Destable. The new arrival is her third child.

A few weeks after giving birth, Portman described the emotions surrounding the newest member of her family. She told Harper’s Bazaar that she had been “full of wonder and joy at this magical little human.”

Portman also shares two children, Aleph and Amalia, with her former husband, Benjamin Millepied. Portman and Millepied split in 2024 after 11 years of marriage.

As she embraces the early period with her newborn, Portman said the experience has renewed her awareness of how quickly childhood passes. It has also focused her attention on the growth and distinct personalities of her older children.

“It gives me a whole new attention to my big kids too, as I am reminded of how recently they were these little fresh creations and how quickly they’ve blossomed into incredible humans with their own amazing personalities and senses of humor and ideas,” she explained.