Natalie Portman has been a huge name ever since she first starred in Léon: The Professional in 1994. Since then, she’s starred in huge movies including Star Wars, V for Vendetta and Thor. This year, she’s starring in Brady Corbet’s Vox Lux, which releases in Canada this month. To prepare for her critically acclaimed performance in Vox Lux, we’re looking back at Portman’s best performances:
Black Swan (2010)
Synopsis: A committed dancer wins the lead role in a production of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” only to find herself struggling to maintain her sanity. (IMDB)
Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, and Vincent Cassel
Writer: Mark Heyman
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Rating: 14A (Canada)/R (United States)
Running Time: 108mins
Trailer:
Portman’s performance in Vox Lux is already starting to draw comparisons to her magnificent performance in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, which scored her her first Oscar win. As with Aronofsky’s other films, Black Swan is very unconventional. . The dark atmosphere, coupled with Portman’s terrifyingly intense performance draws the audience into the story. Portman’s performance is truly the highlight of the film as Nina Sayers.
Jackie (2016)
Synopsis: Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband’s historic legacy. (IMDB)
Starring: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, and Greta Gerwig
Writer: Noah Oppenheim
Director: Pablo LarraÃn
Rating: PG (Canada)/R (United States)
Running Time: 100mins
Trailer:
Jackie, the film where Portman portrays JFK’s wife Jackie Kennedy, is perhaps her best performance to date. It scored her yet another Oscar nomination, and deservedly so. She’s absolutely phenomenal in this uniquely crafted biopic. In part thanks to Larrain’s directional choices, Portman is able to subvert the norms of classic biopics. Her performance is calm, subtle and chilling. It’s one of the best, and one of the most realistic depictions of grief to date. Although there are a few “big scenes,”more the most part, Jackie relies on Portman’s accurate portrayal of Jackie Kennedy.
The film itself is a departure from the norm. Portman’s performance is what brings it all together.
Annihilation (2018)
Synopsis: Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy fights through grief and trauma to regain her faith, console her children, and define her husband’s historic legacy. (IMDB)
Starring: Natalie Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Gina Rodriguez
Writer: Alex Garland
Director: Alex Garland
Rating: 14A (Canada)/R (United States)
Running Time: 115mins
Trailer:
Annihilation, which was released earlier this year, is a phenomenal film. It’s visually gorgeous, and it’s one of many things that sucks the audience in. The story, cinematography and most of all, the acting, is among the best of the year. As with Garland’s debut film, Ex Machina, Annihilation is wholly original. You can never guess what’s about to happen. Portman, along with her costars, make up one of the best “teams”ever put to screen.
Vox Lux opens on December 21st in Toronto before expanding over the following weeks.
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