Natalie Portman must be protected at all costs. This was already a sentiment much of the world felt fairly strongly about, but time and time again, the actor exceeds all our expectations – proving that she is an absolute international treasure. Not only is Portman an Oscar-winning star, but she can now add published author to her list of growing accomplishments, after releasing a new children's book titled, Natalie Portman's Fables.
How does one exactly become an author of reimagined fairytales? For Portman, it all began with her daughter, Amalia. Appearing on Australian news talk-show, The Project, the Black Swan star revealed the inspiration behind her first book, Natalie Portman's Fables, explaining that after the birth of her daughter she realised “we needed new versions of them.”
“I started noticing that the characters in all of these classic stories were predominantly male, and I wanted to keep the stories alive for her,” Portman said.
She added, “I think they’re so wonderful and I want her to know the classics, but I also wanted her to have a reflection of the world that is more accurate.”
Releasing the picture book last September, Portman chose to retell the classic stories of The Tortoise and the Hare, The Three Little Pigs and Country Mouse and City Mouse – but is showing no indication of pressing pause on her story-telling ventures anytime soon.
During the interview, host and journalist Lisa Wilkinson shared with Portman that she had chosen not to read her children the popular princess tale Cinderella, to which the actor remarked, “All those kind of princess stories are really problematic.”
Referring to Cinderella in particular, Portman explained, “You have to fit into the shoe and only one person can fit into a shoe, but [the prince] doesn’t remember the face of the girl he was dancing with last night. Like, it also doesn’t make sense on top of being very offensive!”
Could this be a hint of more fairytale reimagining's to come? If so, you'll absolutely be able to find all of Portman's fables and fairytales on our 'must-read' list.
Image: Instagram
