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Natalie Portman was just 11 years old when she landed her debut breakout role inLéon: The Professional. The film was released in 1994 when she was 13, and proved to be a less-than-exciting experience for the young Portman. TheBlack Swanactress fell victim to sexualization by adult men, who went to extreme lengths, such as setting a countdown to her 18th birthday, the legal age for consent.
Her character, Mathilda Lando, is portrayed as the young protégée of a hitman, and their relationship carries some s*xual undertones. Portman’s personal life has been a subject of media scrutiny, with recent media reports on alleged cheating by her husband, Benjamin Millepied.
Also Read:“The last thing we need is nuclear physicist Denise Richards”: The James Bond Movie Natalie Portman Can Thank for Her Marvel Role
Natalie Portman Exposed Radio Show That Sexualized Her
Natalie Portmanopened up about her distressing experiences after appearing inLéon: The Professionalduring the 2018 Women’s March. She revealed that her first fan mail was a r*pe fantasy from an adult man. One of the most disturbing instances was when her local radio show initiated a countdown clock to her 18th birthday when she would become a legal adult.
A website also went live with the countdown but was later removed. TheV for Vendettaactress also took a restraining order against the creator of the website. She called out movie reviewers who commented inappropriately about her br**sts at the time ofLéon: The Professional‘s release. Portman spoke at the2018 Women’s March:
“I was so excited at 13 when the film was released, and my work and my art would have a human response. I excitedly opened my first fan mail to read a r*pe fantasy that a man had written me. A countdown was started on my local radio show to my 18th birthday, euphemistically the date that I would be legal to sleep with. Movie reviewers talked about my budding br**sts in reviews.”
This wasn’t the first or last time that adult men projected their s*xual fantasies onto young actresses under 18. Earlier, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, who appeared as successful child actresses in several shows includingFull House, experienced a similar treatment with a website countdown clock. More recently,Millie Bobby Brownfaced a similar Reddit attack when she started her role inStranger Things.
Also Read:“You are the problem”: Natalie Portman Was Called Out By MeToo Activist Rose McGowan Who Refused Harvey Weinstein’s Hush Money
Natalie Portman Has Complicated Feelings About Her Debut Role
The themes ofLéon: The Professionalwere re-examined in the wake of s*xual assault allegations against director Luc Besson. At the time of filming, Besson’s wife was underage, and she revealed that the film was inspired by their relationship. Natalie Portman harbors complicated feelings about the film, sharing that the film took away from her sexuality. Describing her role as a‘Lolita’figure, Portman shared with Dax Shepard on theArmchair Expert podcast:
“I was definitely aware of the fact that I was being portrayed … as this ‘Lolita’ figure. Being s*xualized as a child, I think took away from my own sexuality because it made me afraid, and it made me [feel] like the way I could be safe was to be like, ‘I’m conservative,’ and ‘I’m serious and you should respect me,’ and ‘I’m smart,’ and ‘don’t look at me that way.’”
TheJackieactress built fortresses around her, to protect herself from s*xual objectification. She revealed that she had to present herself as a serious and conservative actress so that people respect her and not objectify her. Portman continues to fight against the objectification of women. In September 2023, theMay Decemberactress spoke at the United Nations Spotlight Initiative to eliminate violence against women and girls.
Also Read:“Natalie danced her a** off”: Natalie Portman Got Defended By Co-star After Being Accused of Faking Oscar-Winning Performance in Black Swan
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3018
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
