Natalie Portman, Round Two?
Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 3:00PM by Nathaniel R
Anyone fearing a fiasco like Naomi's Diana or Nicole's Grace of Monaco can breathe a sigh of relief in regards to the latest prestige pic about an obsessed-over hugely influential royal icon household name. Pablo Larraín's Jackie, a portrait of the most famous First Lady in the wake of her husband's assassination, is getting great ink. Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are tossing out blurb-ready words like "remarkable," "meticulous," "profound," "incandescent" and many many more slobbery adjectives. (Though it should be noted that Larraín makes tough movies that never coddle audiences which might prevent this from being a breakout.)
Anyone fearing another round of Natalie Portman Mania at the Oscars might want to tense up, though. Her reviews are truly glowing. Will Natalie get to quote her Black Swan self about Oscar a second time?
He picked me, Mommy.
Reader Comments (35)
Nat: Hopefully not. It's Natalie Portman (who is neither overtly respected or particularly widely liked), not Streep (both) or Waltz (liked) or JLaw (respected) or even Amy Adams (both) (oh, yeah, if Adams keeps up her career heat, somehow, she might be getting two, maybe back to back), so I'm not sure how two can happen for Portman.
If Swank can win two, so can Portman with these reviews. That's if the film plays when it's released.
Another contender with universally glowing reviews.
I think is time to the Academy consider spanding best actress with eight nominees.😉
Only best actress. 😉
To prove to Hollywood Who run the world!! 💙👏
Wonderful. I'm rarely blown away by Portman but I am so here for this.
Nathaniel, if it happens, you'll extend your "Swank stole The Bening's Oscar twice" speech to
"Both Swank and Portman stole The Bening's Oscar twice"
P.S. I'd hate it if she wins a second Lead statuette. She's only 35 and her body of work is far from impressive.
Murtada: I'd argue Swank's position in 2004 is wildly different from Portman's in 2016. You don't win a second acting Oscar the year you have a producer credit attached to Pride & Prejudice WITH ZOMBIES.
Oh no! Natalie is stealing Oscars from performers whose films haven't premiered! That BITCH!
I'm excited for this. The other slight issue is that it doesn't have distribution yet, but I'm sure that will be rectified soon.
Isn't it great that Venice 2016 becomes the platform for career-best notices for Emma Stone, Amy Adams, and Natalie Portman? Really, the Oscar force at the Lido is very strong. And for Best Actress, too! What a remarkable year for actresses!
Hopefully, Peter Sarsgaard is finally rewarded with an Oscar nomination.
Rooney Mara has received great reviews for Una
Wait, isn't Portman the one who called her Oscar/the Oscars 'false idols' which she has no time for? If so, I expect her to insist that she is either a) not nominated or b) she does get nominated but she refuses to attend that damn folly.
a) Volvagia, your viewpoint is so fascinating to me. I rarely understand you but I love to read what you have to say.
b) Portman - stranger things have happened. I do wonder if Viola Davis falls in the Sigourney Weaver/Glenn Close/Annette Bening group where they just don't feel the need to honour them A specific set of circumstances are required for them to actually go all the way. It could happen - Sarandon, Bridges and Moore got them - but it's not something to actually bet on.
c) That said, Stone so totally fits the Portman/Lawrence victories that I can see the critics rubber stamping the TV echo chamber without realizing it.
People in the industry like and respect Portman. No one cares she helped produce a zombie movie. Swank didn't have anything great between wins, but there wasn't as much competition that year. The only thing preventing Portman from winning is the fact she won recently and there is a lot of competition. Jackie doesn't have a release date yet, so it could even come next year.
The reviews I read single out the score, Larrain, the script, Portman and Sarsgaard. If it manages to become a hit, then it can go far.
Una is a harder sell than Jackie, I don't think Mara will factor in.
Natalie going for her 2nd Oscar!!!! BULLET CLUB, FTW!!!!!!!
Truly, nobody even *remembers* she had anything to do with Pride & Prejudice & Zombies.
I'm pleased to hear that this project isn't a trainwreck, but there have been so many bio-pic versions of Jackie that I'm not feeling much enthusiasm.
For Natalie Portman - it's a very crowded field, it's going to be hard to get a nomination, a win is not impossible but I think 99.9 % unlikely.
It must be quite a script to get this much praise for such well traveled ground.
Didn't she say she has no idea where her statue even is? I'm sure she won't campaign at all. Ha. The idea of Portman with 2 Leading Actress Oscars is...underwhelming, given that I mostly find her unconvincing, but these reviews are exciting. I'll keep an open mind!
Am I the only one who thought Portman should've won for both her Oscar nominated performances? She was EXTRAORDINARY in Closer and should've won over Blanchett.
Natalie Portman is such a curious case. In so many films I find her so unmemorable and/or miscast but when she BRINGS it there is no one better. Excited for this one.
Also: no one cares or remembers she produced Pride and Prejudice with Zombies (I had forgotten too until someone posted here). What the Academy will remember is that she also had her directorial debut released this year to respectable (if not glowing) reviews. I think Portman commands a lot of respect from her peers both as an actress, director, and producer, so another nomination for Jackie is totally plausible.
Of course this was going to be great. Larraín is so good. Nice to know that he got a great performance from an actress that is not his wife Antonia Zegers, who was sublime in Post Mortem and The Club.
It sure looks like a strong Oscar contender. All I ask is that she doesn't steamroll like Mirren or Blanchett in recent races.
I love Natalie Portman, so it's really good to see her getting raves again (it's been too long). I've never seen a Pablo Larrain film and he has TWO premiering this year. I gotta get on that.
I don't know what it is about her but something really annoys me about her - decent actress but as a personality, she just I don't know, grrrr.
I don't think the second win will happen for Portman. Swank's second win was helped by her movie being the late-breaking and undeniable front runner. Her first win was helped by her being such a revelation in the role.
Is it me or does Portman try too hard to be above it all? Her interviews seem quite devoid of joy or humor. Same goes for Adams.
I want my Oscar winners to have a laugh, crack a joke, and give a good soundbite besides being brilliant. In other words, Viola FTW.
it's just... I don't know, another biopic? really? and it's about a Kennedy again.
Glad to hear it. She has so much potential and has worked with greats. I would love a new adult version to rise up.
Maybe she should wait until next year? This year there are so many contenders- lots with the overdue factor like Bening, Davis, Adams (twice), and then there are the young never won/nominated ones like Negga, Stone, Blunt, and Beckensale. And then there is Meryl! If she waits, she could pull a Swank if it is a less competitive year. As it is going now, a lot of actresses are going to get left out nomination morning.
Wow I've skimmed some other reviews, and they are all VERY good especially about Portman. I'm now having a hard time thinking she doesn't get in.
Remember Oscar generally goes for Biopics in a big way.
Just sight seen it seems like we have 5 potential worthy nominees is films that will be widely seen by oscar: Stone, Negga, Portman, Streep & Adams.
Viola, Bening, Chastain, Blunt and everyone else will really have to bring it. I don't think there will be any skating in this year.
The film hasn't been sold yet. I'd be intrigued to see what studio picks it up and tries to run with it this year. I think she certainly could get in, but it's a pretty loaded field even sight unseen on a few.
For the last few weeks I've been running with
Adams
Bening
Davis
Negga
Stone
With Huppert, Streep, and Chastain just outside.
But Portman could crash the party easily with reviews that good.
Wow, people are ridiculous. Like I said, I'm cool on Portman as an actress in general but—call me crazy!—I happen to like great performances by actresses in movies. I always hope to see more of them. I don't care who gives them.
I've been reading this blog for 10 years and as I get older and—I must say—a little more mature, the politics and biases against where those performances come from matter less to me. It's amazing how many longtime readers are stuck in that childish scorekeeping at the expense of enjoying great actressing.
If word got out that Gwyneth Paltrow had one of the greatest performances of all time on the festival circuit, people would scream "she's annoying and hasn't done anything good in 10 years, plus she already has an Oscar! Remember Mortdecai?!"
I'm not a Natalie Portman superfan, but I have been elated by her in multiple projects. I especially appreciate her work in Closer and I agree with Aaron that she was more deserving of a BSA Oscar than Cate Blanchett for The Aviator (and I am stan for both C/Kates).
Also, Portman's performance in Black Swan was a deserving winner (even if one prefers one of the other nominees). Best Actress 2010 was a deep and rich field and ALL five of the nominees were doing great work, even J-Law, who has her share of detractors here in TFE.
The director of the movie has shown promise in his previous work (my God, El Club, what an distressing movie!) and he excells with actors, in particular. I am excited to read that he has pushed Portman out of her comfort zone and that she has delivered an award worthy performance. I am happy this is not another Grace of Monaco! We will ALWAYS have biopics come Oscar season (FFS, George Arliss in Disraeli: Best Actor in 1929!!), so it is best for all concerned parties (including us aoscar completists) that they are good movies rather than turkeys.
Just think of the depth of this year's Best Actress field. Isn't this what we always crave? Great roles for actresses to sink their teeth into? I see Portman's addition as a potential contender as cause to rejoice. The more the merrier! May 2016 be one of those years in which even the 10 slots of the Golden Globes get over crowded!
i am assuming the movie gets a release in 2017 at this point. It's getting late in the year for festival films to get sold and get distribution plans in place and released within 3 months. It has happened before but I'm guessing that this one will need special TLC since Pablo Larrain movies can be difficult sits (I don't mean bad sits. I hated Tony Manero, and found The Club masterful but nearly unwatchable due to the severity and toxicity of the situation/characters. But there's usually much to admire about them. And No was superb.)
Anyway whether or not it happens this year, I'm excited to see it. And if it doesn't we'll have another leading lady of 2017 to look forward to. It's too early to really know what movies are headed our way next year but so far movies with leading actresses for 2017 (not necessarily awards contenders just leading ladies) include...
Jessica Chastain - The Zookeeper's Wife
Alicia Vikander - Tulip Fever
Michelle Pfeiffer -Beat Up Little Seagull
Emma Watson - Beauty and the Beast
Scarlett Johansson - Ghost in the Shell
Gal Gadot - Wonder Woman
Elle Fanning - How to Talk to Girls at Parties
Nicole Kidman & Kirsten Dunst- The Beguiled
I still think Viola has this. Even if Fences somehow won't be a BP player overall, I expect Davis' reviews to be great. And there's still Stone, young and charming.
I'd put Portman as 3rd right now, but if she sweeps the critics then....
Oh it's going to be a long (but interesting) season!
I'm prepping my eye roll for the annual awards season articles beginning with 'In a weak year for the best actress field...'
Natalie Portman is pregnant. It's 2010 all over again.
Idk. I feel like Portmans reviews are actually better than Stones. And even if they weren't, Oscar is biased towards biopics. Now just watch Blunt and Viola and Bening get equally salivating reviews too, it's gonna be a bloodbath! I'd put Portman second behind Viola right now BUT Viola has one giant asterisk next to her name cause no one has seen it yet! And there are rumors of the role being more supporting size! Also last thing we want is someone winning just because they are due - let the best performance win.