(Actress Natalie)Portman Pulled Out Of Doubt Over Nun Portrayal (Cannot understand celibacy)

IMDB ^ | 26 November 2008 5:34 PM, PST

[Perdogg]

Natalie Portman turned down the chance to play a nun opposite movie great Meryl Streep in Doubt - because she can't get her head around celibacy.

The actress was at one point very interested in the movie adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's hit play - but she turned the part down because she couldn't see herself as a lifelong virgin.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

I was completely unaware that once you play a nun you must become one!

So said Ingrid Bergman.

[wtc911]

You might not like Portman’s life-philosophy but she is a terrific film actress, has been since she was a kid.

[cmj328]

What did Jesus do?

[IronJack]

she couldn't see herself as a lifelong virgin.

There are probably a couple hundred men who couldn't see her that way either.

But that's why it's called "fiction."

Of course, she'd have to be a darn sight better actress to pull off that much of a stretch ...

[Mr. Silverback]

In high school I played an IRS agent, a greek statue and a crab in various plays. Later on I played a guy who was boffing his stepmother and conspiring with her to knock off his dad, and a barely literate trailer park denizen.

Apparently I’m better at this, since (except for living in a trailer park) I can’t imagine doing a single one of those things for real.

[DesertRhino]

Can’t be THAT good,,if she can’t successfully play in a reasonably potential role such as that of a nun,,, she’s certainly no Eastwood.

[Mr. Silverback]

Anakin, watch out for that Palpatine guy...he’s not as nice as he seems.

[Doug TX]

In other words, the money wasn’t good enough for her to be in the same movie with the washed up Streep.

[FredZarguna]

Or a cartoon character [Darcy on The Simpsons].

[yarddog]

Jesus was called to a completely different life than the rest of us. Jesus was born of a virgin and he never had sex I am sure. Although sex is not a sin it does mark you and for whatever reason God did not want Jesus to live as a married man and there was no other way he could have had sex since he had to be a perfect sacrifice.

[Mr. Silverback]

Didn’t Anne Bancroft play a nun in Agnes of God?

Does Natalie realize that Bancroft had to play an adulterer boffing her daughter’s boyfriend (”The Graduate”), a nun, and a washed up alcoholic con woman (”Malice”) all in the same career?

[Perdogg]

She was good in “The Professional” and “Garden State”.

[Mr. Silverback]

Sorry, that should have read “Apparently I’m better at this than Natalie”

[Robert A Cook PE]

Gee.

A Jewish non-virgin, non-Catholic, non-religious playing a nun.

What’s wrong with this picture?

[supremedoctrine]

To quote Jon Lovitz as The Master THespian:

It’s called ACTING!!!!

[Tanniker Smith]

While I’m glad she pulled out (so to speak) rather than messing up the role, I’d like to point out that it is called “acting”.

[supremedoctrine]

Ahhhh....Ingrid and Audrey.....I go a little nutsy...
especially seeing Ingrid. The most magical actress to EVER
light up a movie screen.

[SolidWood]

Dunno.

Ask Mel Brooks as Hitler.

[LibFreeOrDie]

“Notorious” - The kiss in the wine cellar...

[incredulous joe]

My personal fave