An Essential Natalie Portman Movie Is Hitting Netflix
Natalie Portman has a movie coming to Netflix.
This article is more than 2 years old
Netflix is releasing a brand new batch of movies this October. Along with Oscar-lauded blockbusters like Ghost, Gladiator, Malcolm X, and Titanic, the streamer’s catalog will also feature Leon: The Professional starring Natalie Portman, Jean Reno, and Gary Oldman.
Billed as an action thriller, the 1994 movie featured a young Natalie Portman as Mathilda. After her family is murdered by corrupt Drug Enforcement Administration agent Norman Stansfield, the 12-year-old needs a new home. Enter Jean Reno as Leon, a professional hitman with a heart who reluctantly takes her in. After settling into her new home with her loner neighbor, Mathilda learns about Leon’s true profession. She then insists on becoming his protégé so she can exact revenge on the people who wronged her.
Released in 1994, Leon: The Professional marked Natalie Portman’s acting debut which was praised by viewers and critics. Written and directed by Luc Besson, the movie is considered a masterpiece winning the Czech Lion Award for Best Foreign Language Film and the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in a Foreign Feature. The film also received seven nominations at the 20th César Awards, for Best Film, Best Director for Besson, Best Actor for Reno, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Music, and Best Sound. At the box office, Leon: The Professional earned $46 million on a budget of $16 million.
Natalie Portman followed her outstanding debut, with roles in Michael Mann’s 1995 crime thriller Heat, Tim Burton’s 1996 science fiction comedy Mars Attacks!, and Ted Demme’s 1996 romantic comedy Beautiful Girls. Three years later, she starred opposite Hollywood heavyweight Susan Sarandon in Anywhere But Here. Her supporting role as the precocious, responsible daughter of a narcissistic mother earned Portman her first Golden Globe Award nomination.
In 1996 Natalie Portman was catapulted into stardom for her portrayal of Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. She starred opposite Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. She reprised the role opposite Hayden Christensen in its sequels Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones in 2002, and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith in 2005.
While attending Harvard University for a bachelor’s degree in psychology, Natalie Portman’s career progressed. She starred as Evey Hammond in 2005’s V for Vendetta, and as Anne Boleyn in The Other Boleyn Girl in 2008. Her role as a troubled ballerina in 2010’s psychological horror film Black Swan earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress.
In 2011, Natalie Portman joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Jane Foster in Thor opposite Chris Hemsworth. Her subsequent role in Thor: The Dark World (2013) cemented her place in Hollywood as one of the industry’s most sought after and highest-paid actresses. Portman is set to reprise the role for Marvel Studios in Thor: Love and Thunder.
Thor: Love and Thunder is the latest installment in the Thor franchise and is intended to be a direct sequel to 2017’s Thor: Ragnarok. The film will mark the return of Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster, a character who has been absent from the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2013’s Thor: The Dark World.
Although plot details remain scarce, Thor: Love and Thunder is reportedly based on Jason Aaron’s comic book run on The Mighty Thor in which Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) takes up the mantle and powers of Thor – even though she has cancer. The film may also incorporate elements of Marvel’s 2014 Original Sin storyline, which explains how Thor lost his powers.
According to comic book lore, the God of Thunder became unworthy of wielding Mjolnir after learning a secret from Nick Fury. Although Thor initially attempts to reclaim the hammer, he eventually relinquishes the name and role after seeing Jane wield its power.
Starring alongside Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Natalie Portman as Jane Foster are Tessa Thompson, Chris Pratt, Jaimie Alexander, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Sean Gunn, and Jeff Goldblum. Academy Award winner Christian Bale will make his Marvel debut as Gorr the God Butcher. Russell Crowe also is confirmed to have a cameo appearance as Zeus, the King of the Olympians.
Directed by Taika Waititi from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, Thor: Love and Thunder is set for release on May 6, 2022.
