Credit: LucasfilmThe Star Wars series has never been particularly known for its nuanced acting, although Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen upped their game in the third prequel movie. Now, their co-star Natalie Portman has made the bold statement that Method acting is not for women, calling the controversial acting technique a “luxury that women can’t afford.”
In a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal, the Star Wars icon revealed that she had never attempted Method acting, saying, “I’ve gotten very into roles, but I think it’s honestly a luxury that women can’t afford. I don’t think that children or partners would be very understanding of, you know, me making everyone call me ‘Jackie Kennedy’ all the time.”
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Natalie Portman was referring to both her performance as former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in Jackie (2016), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award, and the reported behavior of acclaimed (and almost exclusively male) actors like Daniel Day-Lewis and Jared Leto who insist on remaining in character even when not in a scene.
The concept of Method acting, in which a performer internalizes and identifies their character’s emotions and experiences, originated in the acting lessons of Konstantin Stanislavski and has been carried by a number of teachers, including Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner. More broadly speaking, the public perception of Method acting has become associated with physically grueling, often combative performances.
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In Portman’s most recent movie, May December (2023), she portrays a TV actor looking to make the jump into prestige films by portraying a notorious ex-convict (Julianne Moore) and intensely studying and imitating her mannerisms and life. Basically, Portman might portray a Method actor, but she’s not one in real life.
It also would have been somewhat challenging to use the tools of Method acting on Padme Amidala, Queen and later Senator of Naboo, who Natalie Portman played in three Star Wars prequels directed by franchise creator George Lucas. But, regardless, according to Portman, it is not a luxury she has.
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