Natalie Portman On Playing Jane Foster In Thor

Natalie Portman On Playing Jane Foster In Thor

In an interview with LA Times' Hero Complex, Portman talks about the changes her character underwent in the page to screen adaptation, as well as how she thinks this version of Foster is a good role model for young female fans..

By MarkCassidy - Nov 19, 2010 05:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Thor
Source: LA Times Blogs

CBM has been abuzz with Green Lanterny goodness since the trailer débuted the other day, but lets not forget about another little movie from the Marvel camp to be released next year. In Thor, Natalie Portman plays love interest to the God Of Thunder, Jane Foster. In the comics Foster was never really up there in terms of recognisability with say Mary Jane in Spider-Man, or even Betty Ross in Hulk. But Portman reveals that both her her and director Ken Branagh made sure she would be a memorable presence in the film..



“I signed on to do it before there was a script. And Ken, who’s amazing, who is so incredible, was like, ‘You can really help create this character.‘ “

“I got to read all of these biographies of female scientists like Rosalind Franklin who actually discovered the DNA double helix but didn’t get the credit for it. The struggles they had and the way that they thought — I was like, ‘What a great opportunity, in a very big movie that is going to be seen by a lot of people, to have a woman as a scientist.’


In the comic Foster is also a nurse, but her character was altered to be more relevant to the mythology that will be present in the movie. So instead of looking after the invalid Donald Blake(who will not feature in Branagh's film) she will be working to understand Thor's Asgardian(alien) heritage..

She’s a very serious scientist. Because in the comic she’s a nurse and now they made her an astrophysicist. Really, I know it sounds silly, but it is those little things that makes girls think it’s possible. It doesn’t give them a [role] model of ‘Oh, I just have to dress cute in movies.’”


Let's hope that kind of hard research pays off and Thor is as good as we all hope it will be. We find out one way or the other when it hits theatres on May 6th 2011(April 29th for me;). A new trailer is also rumored to be attached to Tron: Legacy which opens next month.


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JoshWilding
JoshWilding - 11/19/2010, 5:18 AM
They made the right choice I think. Astrophysicist is a lot more interesting than a nurse...that's probably why Matt Fraction has just made her comic book counterpart a doctor. Good find ROR! :)
dahamma
dahamma - 11/19/2010, 5:56 AM
finally some thor news, i'll take any inkling at this point
TheDarqueOne
TheDarqueOne - 11/19/2010, 6:02 AM
Agreed on the Thor news.

Sadly I have never liked Portman. Most people do but she comes off flat to me. But with each new movie there is the hope that she will somehow work out.

Looking forward to this movie quite a lot.
Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 11/19/2010, 6:04 AM
I think you're wrong about that Josh. The nurse uniform alone places them way ahead of astrophysicist on my interesting lists. ;P

Good stuff Ror.

MarvelousMarty
MarvelousMarty - 11/19/2010, 6:23 AM
" And Ken, who’s amazing, who is so incredible...."

“I got to read all of these biographies of female scientists like Rosalind Franklin who actually discovered the DNA double helix..."

"it is those little things that makes girls think it’s possible..."

God she makes me wanna puke, she's flatter than Holland and thats one flat piece of land.
MassExecutions
MassExecutions - 11/19/2010, 6:30 AM
I hope this is another good take on the character. The Avengers cartoon looks like it will be successful at making here interesting, too. Still, Sif is my pick.
JackBauer
JackBauer - 11/19/2010, 6:30 AM
@Hawksblueyes - I love the Head Nurse uniform. My wife wore that for Halloween a few years ago. Brings back some good memories......excuse me, gotta go take care of something ;)
A7
A7 - 11/19/2010, 7:16 AM
not too fond of portman. I remember reading an interview of hers from star wars episode 2 atoc where she made a statement somewhere along the lines that she wasnt much of a star wars fan.
SpideyQuad
SpideyQuad - 11/19/2010, 7:30 AM
@TheDargueOne

Your right about Natile, she is kinda flat, but I'm more of legs/arse kinda guy. I think she's dam hot! Um... Actress!

My hopes on Thor have taken a hit lately, with those terrible pants n' boots, plus hearing he may be powered down from the comic Thor ... ggggrrrrrrr

Plus the hammer looks a little too big.

No hammer spinning??? I'm hoping Thor isn't all lightning and no super strength :(
Orphix
Orphix - 11/19/2010, 7:42 AM
SpideyQuad@ When I heard that news about him being 'powered down' I was just thinking he wouldn't be able to fly. And I am cool with that. Having the power to fly is quite a big leap for an audience to make (unless you're talking Superman). Also I think that would make him too powerful.

However I think they may make him do some big huge leaps as he wades into combat.
48and2
48and2 - 11/19/2010, 7:58 AM
I hope she hits on this one; she's always great, but sometimes can overdo it a little bit imo. Found her overdone in Goya's Ghosts.

“I got to read all of these biographies of female scientists like Rosalind Franklin who actually discovered the DNA double helix but didn’t get the credit for it. The struggles they had and the way that they thought"...

super geeky, but I did not know that. Thought it was just Watson and Crick.

Who cares if she's flat - not only is she beautiful, but she's super bright and talented. A very rare package deal.


I don't care if he's powered down a bit to start with. I've called this a long time ago anyway. With the direction Iron Man is going, it won't be long until The Avengers are fighting Ultron or Galactus.
ThePencilNeck
ThePencilNeck - 11/19/2010, 7:59 AM
@SpideyQuad: I think the whole point is that Thor has to earn his power back. He'll be powered down through most of the movie, making him like a super bad-ass human and when he learns his lesson... then he'll power back up and be the God of Thunder we all know and love.

I think that's a great premise for the movie.
A7
A7 - 11/19/2010, 7:59 AM
prequals squeakquals
48and2
48and2 - 11/19/2010, 7:59 AM
@Intruder totally agree man... these dudes whining need the sand cleaned out of their manginas.

@ThePencilNeck very much also agree. Would you guys rather have a Nolan influence or Buck Roger's influence lol... or maybe somewhere in between?
Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 11/19/2010, 8:02 AM
Where did you guys read that Thor would be powered down? I missed that.
Gmoney84
Gmoney84 - 11/19/2010, 8:20 AM
He will be powerless when he is cast out of Asgard. He will regain those powers once he completes his hero's journey.

I don't think they are actually changing his abilities from the comics. He will fly, Hemsworth said so.
HelaGood
HelaGood - 11/19/2010, 8:25 AM
i confirm Gmoney84's comment
nuck82
nuck82 - 11/19/2010, 8:48 AM
all you had to say was Natalie Portman and i was all in, you had me at hello
Ibz
Ibz - 11/19/2010, 9:02 AM
where the hell did people hear about his power being toned down from, i though he was going to be powerless when he gets banished and then regains them later, i love how people jump to conclusions just like that
dahamma
dahamma - 11/19/2010, 9:33 AM
yeah i havent heard this news of him being powered down also
Hawksblueyes
Hawksblueyes - 11/19/2010, 9:35 AM
Thats what I've read also. Cast out of Asgard to Earth powerless then he regains his power. That doesn't equal powered down.
sarahsatire
sarahsatire - 11/19/2010, 9:42 AM
Natalie Portman's career highlight = The Professional. Beyond that, I completely agree that her acting is flat. What made V for Vendetta? Hugo Weaving. Portman simply could not pull off the depth and range of the character Evey (one of the most amazing female roles you could get, too). As with most of the movies I have seen her in, she is an overrated, overused pretty girl who recites her lines with an expectedly average/blah performance (i.e. Star Wars, Brothers, Other Boleyn Girl). Because she went to Harvard for some reason that is used as an argument to make her acting limitations forgivable, or even desirable. Her fierce fanbase will keep her working for a long while i'm sure, and that is all well and good. She does not put me off to seeing a movie, so long as she is not the one carrying the weight of it.

P.S. Go Thor. :)
Thairese
Thairese - 11/19/2010, 9:56 AM
From looking at the clip above, Natalie Portman would have been an awesome Rogue.
nuck82
nuck82 - 11/19/2010, 10:00 AM
rokker10 i can watch that all day, i just say that trailer the other day, shwing!!
Bigbywolf
Bigbywolf - 11/19/2010, 11:37 AM
Portman is awesome!!! I can't wait for the Black Swan. Portman is soo talented!! She can.............rap!



odinson11
odinson11 - 11/19/2010, 11:41 AM
I don't think thor will be powered down lol how would he be able to defeat the destroyer and loki with no powers
SmokinIndo
SmokinIndo - 11/19/2010, 11:48 AM
I can't wait to see what Natalie brings to this role. I think she's so beautiful and talented. And she's smart too. What more could you ask for in a girl? If any woman were to play an astrophysicist AND a love interest, it would be her.
superotherside
superotherside - 11/19/2010, 1:38 PM
i think she'll do fine as jane foster, glad she got the role
mstargel
mstargel - 11/19/2010, 6:45 PM
this movie has me so freaking stoked. i really hope the accents are good and branagh helps to bring that period piece atmosphere to asgard...
jonedc
jonedc - 11/19/2010, 9:57 PM
haven't we realized she is not a good actress just look at star wars attack of the clones!
TheDarqueOne
TheDarqueOne - 11/19/2010, 10:01 PM
For the record when I said flat I was only referring to her acting. She is cute.


@sarahsatire Nice Avatar


@SpideyQuad

I do have my worries about Thor. But things like his pants and the exact size of his hammer are not on the list. As long as he is wearing pants I am fine. I am glad he has a cape though.

PJIP
PJIP - 11/21/2010, 12:05 AM
she's really good in the other boleyn girl movie..
the one with scarjo.
she can rap too..
juggy4711
juggy4711 - 11/22/2010, 5:38 PM
Ugh I've got news for you Natalie. Franklin FAR from discovered DNA on her own and her very worthy contribution of co developing the imaging to "see" it is well documented. She played a big part but to say she discovered it and didn't get credit is feminist revisionism.

But she's beautiful and acts well enough not to ruin movies. Then again she's not often in the kind of movies I bother to watch. Either way what the hell was my point?
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