Natalie Portman

The Oscar-winner and Dior Beauty ambassador talks to Richard Godwin about her hopes for the next generation, moonlighting on a hit Aussie cartoon and ...

‘Well, of course I always want the world to be a safe and joyful place for my kids. I compliment her on a masterful segue and we return to our separate worlds. When women go to the gym, the aim is to diminish. Meanwhile that other big summer role of hers, Jane Foster in the campy Marvel romp, Thor: Love and Thunder — has allowed her to explore her physicality in a different way. For much of the film, Jane inherits the Thor mantle, so she spends quite a lot of time prancing around with a large hammer. When most men go to the gym, the aim is to become bigger. ‘As I’m older, I feel like I see it as a mode of expression and play and joy — and also, like, indulging yourself and treating yourself. The relationship has been remarkably long by the usual standards of celebrity endorsements and it’s not hard to see why Dior has been so keen to retain her services. It’s kind of the way everyone can bring what I’m lucky enough to do as a job into their own life and bring out different sides of themselves.’ Lucky us, eh? ‘I always carry the Dior [shade] 999, red lipstick in my purse because it gives me a sense of boldness and strength when I need that little extra boost,’ she informs me with what truly comes across as unfeigned enthusiasm. Even the films that have failed to light up the box office have usually faltered because they’re a bit too intelligent. The call comes as the new Rouge Dior Forever Lipstick premières but unfortunately, I am denied a glimpse of this expensive visage: ‘It’s meant to be just audio,’ she says kindly when I express confusion at her black screen.