‘Eize basa’
Natalie Portman displays her prowess in Israeli slang
Avideo of Jewish Hollywood actress Natalie Portman explaining Hebrew slang terms as well as commonly used insults surfaced on the Internet earlier this week and immediately garnered amused reactions.
Portman, who was born in Israel as Natalie Harshlag and whose father is a doctor and an Israeli native, proudly displayed her command of current Hebrew slang as part of a Vanity Fair video series called “Secret Talent” in which celebrities reveal their expertise in different fields.
Dressed in a white shirt with blue stripes (which some immediately interpreted as a nod at the Israeli flag), Portman explained to viewers some of the most commonly used phrases in Hebrew, such as “eize basa” (what a downer), “balagan” (mess), “lizrom” (go with the flow), “al hapanim” (literally translated as “on the face” but used to denounce experiences as terrible) and the odd but popular “haval al hazman,” which in simultaneous translation could read as “pity on the time” but is synonymous with “great,” “wonderful.”
This is not the first time Portman has boasted of her strong connection to the Jewish state. The actress has visited Israel many times in the past, with her most recent stay dedicated to the filming and production of A Tale of Love and Darkness, her directorial debut in which she adapted renowned Israeli novelist Amoz Oz’ memoir of the same title to the silver screen.