Every Hollywood actor gets a role that makes them feel a bit afraid, even if someone is as talented as Natalie Portman. While every character comes with their own sense of gravity and stature, the Oscar-winning actress was once afraid to play the Former First Lady, Jackie Kennedy.
Natalie portrayed Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in the increasingly acclaimed film Jackie and admired the former first lady for the strength she displayed throughout her life. However, in a recent interview, the actress revealed that she was afraid and believed this would be her ‘biggest fail.’
Natalie Portman was afraid to play Jackie Kennedy
Released in 2016, Jackie had Natalie Portman playing former American First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in her biopic, which was one of the most “daunting” roles of her career. For the former American First Lady, who was married to President John F Kennedy until his assassination on November 21, 1963, Natalie was afraid of the history surrounding her. She was worried about nailing an accurate portrayal of Jackie.
In a recent conversation with Collider, the actress appeared talking about her upcoming Netflix movie, May December. When asked about the role which made her feel nervous, Natalie Portman revealed that playing “Jackie was especially scary for me because it was a real, very well-known person, so I was like, ‘Oh boy, if this is a fail, this is the biggest fail because everyone will recognize it.'”
The movie took place in the days following the assassination, framed around the interview that forced Jacqueline Kennedy to look back on her life with the 35th president of the United States.
Natalie Portman’s upcoming movie
Directed by Todd Haynes, the actress would be seen in May December, a gut-churning true-crime narrative into a dramedy Netflix movie set to release on December 1, 2023.
Natalie Portman will play the role of Elizabeth, who will add a metatheatrical element to the film and reflect on the blurring of fiction with reality. She would be joined by her frequent collaborator, Julianne Moore, as the two actresses tell a story based on the first-ever script by Samy Burch.
