The Oscar winner says her kids prefer seeing her as their mum, not a movie star
Natalie Portman has admitted that her children have little interest in watching her on screen, even in her famous Star Wars films. The actress says she understands their choice and actually finds it touching.
The 44-year-old, who shares son Aleph, 14, and daughter Amelia, eight, with her ex-husband Benjamin Millepied, explained that her kids simply do not want to see her acting. Speaking to E! News at the premiere of The Gallerist at Sundance, Portman said they actively avoid her movies.
“My kids are so resistant to seeing anything that I’m in,” she shared. “I’ve told them they can watch if they want, especially if their friends have seen it. But they always say, ‘No, thanks.’”
Portman believes the reason is simple. Her children prefer her as their mum, not as a character on screen. “They kind of just want to see me as me, which I appreciate,” she said.
However, she revealed there is one project that did catch their attention. Her children showed interest in Arco, an animated film she produced.
In a previous interview with People, Portman explained that the film’s futuristic storyline sparked meaningful conversations at home. She said it led to discussions about why the parents in the story appear as holograms, the environmental challenges faced by the characters, and whether the solutions shown in the film could ever exist in real life.
She added that the film gave her the chance to talk with her children about serious topics in a way that felt natural and engaging. “The story dealt with very pressing issues and offered so much inspiration and hope and encouragement of imagination for children,” she said.
Portman also praised the way the film treats its young audience. “It takes kids very seriously and doesn’t gloss over things,” she noted. “Children are living through these experiences right now, and they deserve to be spoken to with respect.”
