Natalie Portman Takes a Stand Against Pornography (and Michael)

In a recent interview with the movie website Digital Cinema.com, actress Natalie Portman, while promoting her new film Black Swan, was answering a question regarding her issues with doing nudity in films. She basically said she has no problem with it as long as it is completely necessary for the role because she knows there are certain porn sites that actresses like her can end up on when doing nude scenes and she finds that degrading. The interviewer than replied "so I take it you're anti-porn" and she goes "Oh of course, I think it's appauling. It's degrading to women, it's just absolutely disgusting, it's the worst. And studies have shown that one of the side effects of porn are issues such as increases in rapes and just a general disregard for women and the female form and sexuality in general".

He then says to her "well it's funny you mention that since someone like say, actor Michael Reese Meyers, whom you worked with recently in Brotherly Love, says that porn actually decreases rapes since it gives men deemed by women as un-fuckable an outlet to release their sexual frustrations and desires, whereas say without porn, the only way they could act out their sexual fantasies or desires would be to rape. What would you say to that side of the argument, coming from a guy of course so I'm a little biased, haha". Natalie goes on to say "Look everyone has the right to their own opinions but I think he's wrong. I mean these are proven facts. The numbers don't lie. I'd like to see where he gets his numbers from that they (rapes) go down because I mean you could look at the case of that guy in New Mexico from a couple years back who admitted he raped like three or four girls and had them do sexual things he had seen in porn films and wanted them to re-enact them and that's just one example. So I mean, I know he knows alot about it I'm sure with his experience...(interviewer reminds her he just directed a film on the adult industry)...right, yea, so I mean I respect his opinion on the matter but coming from a woman, I just see it a certain way but that's just me."

Here's where it gets really interesting. The interviewer then asks "So I'm guessing your guys' opposite stance on this issue must have made for some interesting conversation on the set of that film or no...?" and Natalie very cryptically answers "well, haha, you know, we actually stayed apart during most of the filming, which was awkward because we become lovers through the course of the story, but I made it a point to kinda keep my distance from him. I dunno whether it was because our characters were supposed to be grieving or just because I've...let's just say I've heard some things about him. He has a reputation. And I wanted no part of that. I come to work and I leave it at that." When asked if she cared to elaborate she just laughed and said "nope". Uh ohh....wonder what "reputation" she is referring to? Will Michael respond to this? Let the guessing game begin....! You can watch the video of this segment of the interview above.

P.S. I have to be honest, I wasn't that big a fan of Brotherly Love (I thought Portman and Ryan Gosling terribly overracted their parts and Meyers seemed unusually...uninterested...in giving any real effort into his performance). I noticed a lack of chemistry between Meyers and Portman's characters despite the fact they were supposed to be falling in love which was a disapointment (I'm clearly not alone since the film did receive some not so pleasant reviews) and maybe this issue of them not vibing on set reveals why the chemistry was lacking. Hmm....