Natalie Portman Doesn't Understand Celibacy

Page Six reports:

SOME roles just don't suit Natalie Portman. At the junket for the film version of his "Doubt," playwright John Patrick Shanley was asked how Amy Adams won the role of an emotionally conflicted nun. "I'm trying to think of what the etiquette is on this," Shanley chuckled, blushing a bit. Urged on by a blogger for gossipsauce.com, he continued, "Well, we asked Natalie Portman, and Natalie was very interested but kept saying she had a problem. And we finally nailed down as to what the problem was. She basically said she didn't understand celibacy."

Here's a trailer for the film, featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Amy Adams and, ahem, not Natalie Portman.

WATCH:

Comments

[dobberdoss]

This woman is all class! Natalie, your classy.

[Bub]

"Stay classy, Natalie"

[terentz]

Neither do I, Natalie...

[GPMeg]

I feel like we're missing something here... Did she not understand celibacy as in she didn't know the definition or is it simply something she couldn't convince herself to portray. As an actress, I appreciate the need for challenge in a role, but if it's something you don't feel you can do then you have every right to step away and let someone who might fill the role better which is respectable. I just feel like there's more to the story and we don't get anything but a one-liner. Typical Entertainment news.

[Beowoof]

Thank you. If a reporter asks Natalie Portman the question and she gives that answer, that's fine. It's a bit reckless to quote someone else and not corroberate the story.

[bubbuh]

What's missing is that Ms. Portman never said she didn't understand celibacy. At best, someone else is paraphrasing something she did say. Most likely, someone was making an easy joke at her expense. At worst, well, the typical reactions in the comments is at worst.

Please note the source: gossipsauce.com

It's where I go to get all my solid gold news.

Sheesh!!!!!!!!!!

[rsaillant1]

....and as the old and retired hooker once said, referring to abstinance,

"Yeah, I used to celibate, but now I just give it away."

[Zengeist]

Understanding the story begins with understanding her as an actor. True celibacy is a form of yoga that requires not suppressing but conducting enormous sexual energy without engaging in the act with an "other". What's that about? It's a helluva subject, but my feeling is - as an artist - Portman is just copping to the fact that she doesn't have any notion of what it is other than an idealistic denial and therefore wouldn't know how to approach playing the character. Which is a pretty classy thing to confess. And yeah, I agree it's typical entertainment news where the punchline's the story, but I suspect the "reporter" (if it's infotainment, it should be in quotes, shouldn't it?) felt her had his story and didn't have a clue what to ask otherwise.

[bubbuh]

First - as an artist - understand the NP isn't being quoted. Second, as an egotist, realize it's not about you.

[66rock]

I thought the whole idea of acting was to play a Part.

Sounds like a lightweight instead of a professional who enjoys challenges.

[bubbuh]

Acyually, sounds like a typical hollywood joke which people with no sense of humor won't ever figure out,


"Portman, who stated that she would "...rather be smart than be a movie star,"[2] completed a bachelor's degree in psychology at Harvard College while she was working on the Star Wars films."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natalie_Portman

[RoXXanne]

Touché!

[KenHussein]

Natalie's my kind of woman. Yeah, what's the point of celibacy?

[LMPE]

Celibacy is a bad idea. It's perfectly natural for people to have sex; probably only the drive to eat is greater than the drive to reproduce. Humans were having sex just fine for thousands of years before organized religion suddenly decided that certain individuals had to keep their genitals to themselves for life. If the Catholic Church would just drop this whole "keep Mr. Wiggly in your pants" tenet, maybe priests wouldn't molest boys.

Natalie Portman has made the right choice in wanting to stick with the most natural of human elements. Still, I look forward to seeing "Doubt".

[joelaf]

Maybe for you celibacy is bad, but for me it's natural. My wife of 23 years died last Xmas. My wedding vows said "till death do US part". I take that as both our deaths. Therefore, I am celibate.

[johnb3950]

I am sorry to hear about your loss. But I do think you are taking "till death us do part" the wrong way. If this wedding was in the Christian religion - or indeed many others - then surely at both your deaths you will be reunited, and the "parted" time is the period in between, when you are indeed parted?

[Kiba]

I agree. Suppression of such a fundamental part of one's nature is harmful and potentially devastating psychologically.

[SonofLiberty1]

So Kiba...are you saying that before you did it you were devasted psychologically?
I would tend to doubt it.

[SonofLiberty1]

Men who do such things can be celibate and some can be married.
What you have said here is not accurate.

[flifishun]

I would like to not understand celibacy with Natalie, for about an 1-3 hours a day, 3-5 days a week.
I'm less understanding some days than others.

[petrosbasileus]

Oh, you libertine, you!

[DonCosenza]

It's funny... whenever I watch Natalie, I don't understand celibacy either.

[GPMeg]

HA! That made me laugh really hard-- mostly because I don't think anyone would disagree

[SteveStephens]

be a 40 year old single guy in Nebraska, and , believe me, you'll understand celibacy.

[sjohn23]

Celibacy is simply not getting married. Chastity is what 98% of these posts are talking about. Being celibate means that you forsake marriage. Being chaste means that you don't engage in sex. Natalie Portman probably understands that. Most of you don't.

[badfluffy]

Here you go sjohn.....­. 2 a: abstention from sexual intercourse b: abstention by vow from marriage
Thats from Websters. I lived in Nebraska for a long time. The guy was making a joke, stop being so quick to judge and you might chuckle a little. Happy Thanksgiving btw.

[SonofLiberty1]

Bet you that Steve understands that too and at 52 and never married I understand it better:)

Contrary to popular belief, everyone is not doing it, I'm sure there are plenty of ladies out there that are unattached as well as guys.

[flifishun]

So Catholic priests can have sex as long as they don't get married?
They take a vow of celibacy, not chastity.
I'm in the wrong rackett.

[bubbuh]

This is a definition left over from olden times(pre-1963) when not being married meant one was never wetnwild.

Meantime, kudos for recognizing NP's brain. It's a very good one, both lobes(sorry, couldn't help it.)

[Counterglow]

cel⋅i⋅ba⋅cy [sel-uh-buh-see] –noun

1. abstention from sexual relations.
2. abstention by vow from marriage: the celibacy of priests.
3. the state of being unmarried.
Origin:
1655–65; < L caelibā(tus) celibacy (caelib-, s. of caelebs single + -ātus -ate 3 ) + -cy

FYI, the first definition listed in a dictionary is the most widely accepted meaning of the word. I suggest you do a little research before making comments about what most of us do or don't understand.

[Cach]

Amazing what passes for an article at HuffPo.

Hey! could I be a writer here? I don't have a journalism degree either!

[ChiGuy]

Amazing what passes for a commenter here.

Ever hear of a byline?
Next time, try checking it before you embarrass yourself again

As is the case in more than 75% of the articles featured here, HP has culled the them from other news sources.

Don't like the Entertainment feature here? Then why do the requisite clicks in order to come to the page and comment?

[Cach]

Don't like my comment? Then why do the requisite keystrokes to type out a comment?

*crickets chirping*

Congrats, you just answered your own question.

[DonCosenza]

Apparently, the answer is yes. ;-)

[Counterglow]

I do, but I get censored a lot.

[ChiGuy]

I am available for lessons.

The first 50 sessions or so will cover what NOT to do.

There will be no further lessons, because I will have d'ied a happy man.

[V4Vigilance]

Natalie Portman is welcome to be uncelibate with me anytime...

[aka-ub]

Having a hard time figuring out what the big deal is. I agree that the way the writer responds is strange and puts the wrong idea out. If he is just saying that she literally does not understand how a person could choose to be celibate because sex is enjoyable, I'm going to have to agree with her.

[OnePartyEqualsTyranny]

Well sex, “because sex is enjoyable” not for some, sex is not enjoyable, just a biological function.

[badfluffy]

No, it can be quite enjoyable. Happy Thanksgiving

[andyboy]

I think maybe Natalie was putting dude on a bit. She can have just about any role she wants. She is an A-lister with drawing power.

As for celibacy? It's a choice. It's your body. Do with it as you will. I read the thread and it's like somebody has to be wrong. Not different. But wrong. Your celibate? So what? I don't care. Your not celibate? Again. Don't care. Both states occur in nature for a multitude of reasons. They can't be right or wrong. They just are.

Do any of you people just let others be? Tolerate different views? Wonder perhaps if there isn't a legitimate way other than the one you like?

[Vr6]

Bollox! Celibacy is not honorable in anyway or manner - it's just a choice. So please give it a rest and stop all the martyrdom - try oral sex and I don't mean talking about it - though you might find it hard to swallow!

[ashb]

LOL :)

[OnePartyEqualsTyranny]

I’ll consider that as spam from the
Catholic side of things,