Feminist portrayals of women on screen need to do more to create “human” characters, according to Natalie Portman.
The Oscar-winning actress is taking aim at “feminist” films for not making female characters more than just “tough,” headstrong women, complaining they rarely depict women as human beings.
“A lot of films that try for a ‘feminist’ portrayal will just make a woman be really tough,’ the star explained. ‘Well, that’s not feminist because it’s not allowing the woman to be a human being. No one’s just tough,” the actress tells The Guardian‘s G2, criticizing Hollywood films for failing to portray feminists in the correct light.
The “Jackie” star reveals, in order to make Jackie Kennedy “real” in her latest film, the actress had to let the character experience a range of emotions as she deals with the aftermath of the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.
But it’s not just the way women are portrayed on screen that’s a sticking point with Portman, 35. The Israeli-born actress says that Hollywood still has a long way to go in terms of gender equality behind the scenes, especially when it comes to films in awards consideration.
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“Every year it’s exclusively male-directed, written and filmed movies that we’re talking about in awards season. Not that men shouldn’t be making films,” she explains. “It’s just crazy that there is such a minority of women’s voices out there.”
Portman herself is doing something to change the gender disparity behind the camera.
Last year she stepped into the director’s chair for “A Tale Of Love And Darkness”, writing the screenplay and also starring in the drama.
