'I Don't Want My Kids to See It': Inside Natalie Portman's Strict No-Nudity Rule
By Maya Lin-Takahashi
Bodily autonomy on set involves more than avoiding unclothed scenes; it also means resisting physical degradation. For her Academy Award-winning turn in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, Portman endured a punishing regime that reshaped her entire anatomy. She trained up to 16 hours a day for a year, subsisted on tiny portions of almonds and carrots, dropped 20 pounds, and suffered a dislocated rib during rehearsals.
The physical strain left permanent impressions. In late 2023, Portman told fashion publication Grazia that she had reached a definitive turning point: she will never again subject her body to extreme physical starvation or dangerous transformations for a job.
Portman’s subsequent choices reflect that boundary. When she returned to play Jane Foster in Thor: Love and Thunder, she did not starve herself down. Instead, she spent ten months working with trainer Naomi Pendergast, lifting heavy weights, eating protein-rich meals, and building visible shoulder and arm mass. She prioritized strength, joint health, and energy over the fragile physical state demanded by Black Swan.
Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.
