Actress talks aging, fame and growing as an artist

Nov 5, 2009 19:51 GMT  ·  By

Natalie Portman is clearly still in her prime, while also being one of the hottest stars of the moment, part of that league branded “with plenty of potential.” Despite all this, the actress is only too aware of how short-lived a career in Hollywood can be, especially for women, which is why she would never rule out the possibility of getting plastic surgery, as she reveals in the latest issue of V Magazine.

Speaking about constantly being in the sometimes-harsh spotlight, 28-year-old Portman says women have it very hard in Hollywood. No matter what other actresses are saying or how hard movie studio big shots deny signs of ageism, once they reach 40, things only go downhill for women in showbiz. This is why she would never say no to plastic surgery because, right now, she can definitely see it as a viable option further down the road.

“You see people who were stars five years ago and already they’re waning. As actresses approach 40, it starts becoming really, really difficult.” Portman tells V. “I would hope not.” she immediately replies when asked if she’s go under the knife, only to reconsider and add that things will change soon and she’ll know better when the time comes. “If I have a pimple I want to get rid of it,” the actress also says.

In the same interview, Natalie also touches upon such topics as what it was like for her to work her away farther and farther from the “Star Wars” franchise, and how she feels about doing love scenes that other female stars would refuse to do. Personally, she’s ok with everything, she says, as long as she knows for a fact she’ll be doing it because it helps her career and her to grow as an artist. Otherwise, she won’t do it either.

Criticism is also always welcome, especially if it’s the constructive type, Portman states. “My acting was not exactly respected in those films [‘Star Wars’] but those are the moments when you want to prove yourself again. When people think I suck, it helps. It’s annoying because online bull[expletive] interferes with what I want to do artistically,” she also says of how bloggers are sometimes making things harder – if not altogether impossible to bear – for her.