Natalie Portman is chiming into the conversation surrounding the traditional film medium in the age of social media.
The Oscar-winning actress was recently asked in an interview with Vanity Fair about the changes she has seen in Hollywood throughout the years.
“The striking thing has been the decline of film as a primary form of entertainment,” she said. “It feels much more niche now. If you ask someone my kids’ age about movie stars, they don’t know anyone compared to YouTube stars or whatever.”
Social media’s impact on mainstream movie stars has been a recent debate, especially with the rise of influencers in the 21st century. Ana de Armas said last year that she feels the “concept of a movie star” has been ruined because the “mystery is gone,” while Jennifer Anniston previously responded to a “mass-fame phenomenon” comment, saying, “It’s dying. There are no more movie stars. There’s no more glamour.”
But Portman doesn’t necessarily feel that the industry change is a bad thing, comparing it to a “two-sided coin.”
“There’s a liberation to it, in having your art not be a popular art,” the May December actress admitted. “You can really explore what’s interesting to you. It becomes much more about passion than about commerce. And interesting, too, to beware of it becoming something elitist. I think all of these art forms, when they become less popularized, you have to start being like, ‘OK, who are we making this for anymore?’”
She also feels that social media has allowed the entertainment space to become more accessible and inclusive for all, not just those directly in Hollywood.
“And then amazing, too, because there’s also been this democratization of creativity, where gatekeepers have been demoted and everyone can make things and incredible talents come up. And the accessibility is incredible,” Portman added. “If you lived in a small town, you might not have been able to access great art cinema when I was growing up. Now, it feels like if you’ve got an internet connection, you can get access to anything. It’s pretty wild that you also feel like at the same time, more people than ever might see your weird art film because of his extraordinary access.”
Portman has seen many changes in the industry over the years since she began her acting career as a child. She recently looked back at her first movie role in 1994’s Léon: The Professional during an appearance on the Smartless podcast earlier this week, where she also talked about navigating Hollywood at a young age.
The actress recalled when Jodie Foster, who was also a child actor and starred in Taxi Driver at 12 years old, contacted her after a speech she gave at the Women’s March in Los Angeles in 2018 to talk about their shared experiences.
“I did a speech at a Women’s March about being sexualized as a young actress, and she reached out to me after that, and we talked, and it was amazing,” Portman said. “She’s still a role model.”
