Natalie Portman Discusses Motherhood and Career Resilience

Natalie Portman has spoken about the profound experience of becoming a mother for the third time at age 45. She recently welcomed her youngest child with her partner, Tanguy Destable, a musician and music producer. Portman shared her feelings of "wonder and joy at this magical little human" in a recent interview.

Portman, who has two older children from her previous marriage to Benjamin Millepied—15-year-old Aleph and 9-year-old Amalia—noted how her new experience has given her a fresh perspective on her older children. She expressed a renewed appreciation for how quickly they have developed their own unique personalities. "It gives me a whole new attention to my big kids too, as I am reminded of how recently they were these little fresh creations and how quickly they’ve blossomed into incredible humans with their own amazing personalities and senses of humour and ideas," she stated.

Regarding her relationship with Destable, Portman emphasized the importance of love and kindness. "The most important thing is love. And I’m not embarrassed to say it," she said. "I do feel like it’s so simple, just being kind and loving and being able to laugh. That’s all that matters. That’s the joy of being this age. If it’s not that, I’m not spending my time there."

The interview coincided with the release of her new film, "The Gallerist," a dark comedy thriller in which she portrays a Miami art gallery owner. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and is slated for release next month. "The Gallerist stars Natalie as Miami art gallery owner, Polina Polinski. It premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival and will be released next month."

Portman also reflected on how early career challenges have shaped her resilience. She recalled the harsh reception of her first film, "The Professional," which received poor reviews and had a weak box office performance. Similarly, her experience at age 16 with "Star Wars" was met with significant criticism, despite its financial success. "They ruined the franchise. None of them can act. They all suck," she recounted, referring to the public's reaction.

"I think it was an amazing early lesson in how to read really bad things about yourself and then be able to be like, ‘I’m going to make another one. I’m going to show them.'" Portman added that she did not seek comfort from others during these difficult times, choosing instead to process the criticism internally. "I don’t remember talking to anyone about it. I didn’t want to show anyone that I was hurt or anything."

Portman's comments underscore a period of personal fulfillment and professional reflection, balancing the joys of family life with a seasoned perspective on her enduring career in Hollywood.