Summary

• Natalie Portman's role in "Leon: The Professional" launched her successful acting career, but the controversy surrounding her age and the film's content created a gray area.
• Portman recently commented on the film, describing certain aspects as "cringey," revealing the negative impact it had on her at a young age.
• Her experience in her debut film only reinforces Portman's credibility as an advocate for women's empowerment in Hollywood.

Leon: the Professional saw Natalie Portman make her big screen debut as she co-starred in the action film alongside Jean Reno. The movie was a box office hit and remains a well-received project by both critics and audiences; however, there was a level of controversy surrounding the movie when it was first released. The film was edited down by nearly 30 minutes due to poor audience responses to some of the scenes surrounding the movie's lead characters.

The plot sees an assassin, Leon, teaching a young girl, Mathilda, about being an assassin after Mathilda's parents' deaths. The controversy around the film stems from both Portman and her character's age in the film, with some viewers interpreting sexual undertones. While there are no sexual or romantic elements between Leon and Mathilda, some viewers found the dynamic unsettling, as evidenced by a Reddit post that revealed there was a cut scene with Mathilda trying to seduce Leon. Mathilda is 12 years old, making any potential romantic relationship inappropriate, and even the dynamic of an assassin teaching a child the trade is complicated at the least.

Natalie Portman Was 12 When She Filmed Leon: The Professional

Natalie Portman was just 11 years old when she was cast as Mathilda in Leon: The Professional and was 12 when she filmed the movie. With it being the star's first role, it makes sense she would be young and was the right age to depict the character she was playing. On the surface, a 12-year-old playing a 12-year-old shouldn't be an issue. However, the sexual controversy around the film made things significantly more complicated. Her very first role is among Natalie Portman's best movies, but the infamy and backlash the film received despite its success create a gray area in an otherwise successful debut role.

Portman turned 13 when the film was eventually released and would go on to launch a successful acting career. She has since featured in critical successes such as Black Swan and Jackie as well as getting involved in huge franchises such as Star Wars and the MCU. Leon: The Professional was arguably the catalyst of such a successful career for Portman, but the controversy surrounding her age in relation to the film's content will always be associated with the project. Portman herself has even commented on the situation years later, giving her more recent thoughts on her debut movie with a more mature insight.

What Natalie Portman Has Recently Said About Her Role In Leon: The Professional

In a recent interview, Portman commented on Leon: The Professional, labeling some of the film's aspects as "cringey." The controversy surrounding the film had a lasting impact on Portman, who revealed that at just 13 years old she felt the need to be "prudish" and "conservative" to avoid being sexualized. Her comments about the film emphasize the somewhat negative influence it had on her at a young age. Natalie Portman has long been an advocate for women's empowerment, and her unpleasant experience in her film debut of Leon: The Professional only lends her credibility when she speaks on empowering women in Hollywood.

Sources: Reddit