It isn’t unusual for a movie star to change their shape for a particular role. In many cases, most producers ask women to stay thin or trim down, but Natalie Portman had to gain weight for her role in the latest Thor saga.
This action-adventure series made Chris Hemsworth a household name. He is the muscular main character, and because of his bulk, most people that stand next to him appear small. Portman had to bulk up in a healthy way to offset this effect.
She is no stranger to adjusting her figure for Hollywood. Portman earned an Oscar for her performance in Black Swan as a highly competitive ballerina. She had to shed 20 pounds to achieve that look, which she did through proper dieting and rigorous exercise.
For Thor, Portman had to use the same techniques to gain muscle and mass. With the help of food and heavy weights, she created a superhero physique. She confessed that she needed to guzzle down many gallons of protein drinks in order to garner the full effects of weightlifting.
Thankfully, Portman’s family supported her in this journey. She is the mother of two young children, and she noted that her husband was behind her every step of the way. Turning herself into a superhero was going to be challenging, but she had the attitude that it would be fun because her young children could look up to her and see her as a cool mom.
Throughout her acting career, she has been fighting for pay equality. She encourages other actresses to be transparent about their pay so that executives can be held accountable. Portman believes that should hold true in acting jobs and women’s sports.
Portman promotes a variety of movies for women. Because of experience, she knows that women can carry entire films and portray strong personalities. Hollywood might be addicted to the small-girl themes, but with help from actresses like Portman, groundbreaking movies can make it to the big screen.
To see Natalie Portman in action, you can catch Thor: Love and Thunder in theaters this summer.
