The film The Professional played a significant role in shaping Natalie Portman's portrayal as a Lolita figure.
Natalie Portman, born in Jerusalem, has expressed that her role in her debut film, Léon: The Professional, led to her being portrayed as a 'Lolita' figure, which she believes negatively impacted her sense of personal sexuality. The Oscar-winning actress shared these candid reflections while appearing on Dax Shepard's Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard podcast.
"I was certainly aware that I was being portrayed in a particular way," explained Natalie Portman, "primarily through the media coverage when the films were released—as a 'Lolita' figure and similar characterizations."
Portman addressed this by adopting a more serious demeanor in her public appearances.
"Many people perceived me as extremely serious, prudish, and conservative as I grew older. I deliberately cultivated that image because it made me feel safer. If someone respects you, they're less likely to objectify you," Natalie Portman explained.
Portman was just 12 years old when she starred in her first film, Léon: The Professional. In the movie, she portrayed a character named Mathilda, a young girl whose family is killed by drug dealers. She then finds refuge in the apartment of her neighbor, Léon, played by Jean Reno, who turns out to be a hitman.
The theatrical release of the film depicted the relationship between the two main characters as innocent and childlike, akin to two children spending time together at home.
However, there was an alternate version of the film that was not well-received by audiences. One particular scene was so controversial that the producers decided to remove it following negative feedback. In this scene, Natalie Portman's character dances in a revealing dress and talks about marrying Jean Reno’s character, Léon. Reno portrays Léon as a somewhat naive, childlike adult who connects with Mathilda on a similar level, which prevents him from romantically responding to her.
According to Natalie Portman, the film caused her to be sexualized as a child, which harmed her sexuality as an adult.
"My own sexuality was taken away from me because I was afraid of being sexualized as a child," Portman added. It gave me the impression that the best way for me to feel safe is to say things like, "I'm serious and conservative, and you should respect me. I'm also smart, so don't look at me that way."
Hollywood filmmakers did not only view Portman as a "Lolita" type; in 1997, she was even given the lead role in the Lolita remake, but she sensibly turned it down. She was only 15 at the time, and since the tale revolves around a middle-aged guy having an affair with his adolescent stepdaughter, the studio made the smart decision to cast a lady over 18.
Luc Besson, the film's director, has experience with scandals involving underage girls and sexual impropriety. Actresses have even accused him of rape. Moreover, Besson married 17-year-old Maïwenn Le Besco, whom he had dated as a young girl. The actress married Besson at the age of sixteen after giving birth to his child at the age of twelve. They started dating at the age of fifteen.
Natalie Portman made the astute decision to play a normal adolescent in films after Leon, such as Woody Allen's 1996 film "Everyone Says I Love You." Given the current resurgence of allegations of sexual assault against Allen by the children of his ex-girlfriend Mia Farrow, the irony here is scathing.
After winning an Oscar for her performance in the 2010 movie "Black Swan," the actress went on to become famous after landing the part of Queen Amidala in the famous Wars prequels. In the upcoming Thor film "Thor: Love and Thunder," which is scheduled for release in 2022, Natalie Portman will play Jane Foster once more.