‘INCREDIBLE TO PLAY A SUPERHERO WHO FINDS STRENGTH IN VULNERABILITY’

Natalie Portman returns in the upcoming film ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, which will see her appear as Mighty Thor in the possession of the mystical hammer Mjolnir

MUMBAI: Oscar winner Natalie Portman credits ‘Marvel Studios’ for casting a five-foot-three frame actor like her in the towering role of Mighty Thor in the upcoming ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’, an opportunity the star said changed the way she perceived superhero films.

Portman returns as Thor’s ex-girlfriend and astrophysicist Jane Foster in the upcoming Taika Waitit directorial, which will see her appear as Mighty Thor in the possession of the mystical hammer Mjolnir.

“I was especially grateful to everyone’s imagination to cast a 5.3 actor in a six-foot role. That takes a real belief. Probably it is not something I will get to do again. It was a great challenge,” the actor said during a global press conference of the film.

Set following the events of ‘Avengers: Endgame’, ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ will see the Asgardian God in search of inner peace, but he must return to action and recruit Valkyrie, Korg and Jane Foster, who has become the Mighty Thor, to stop Gorr the God Butcher from eliminating all gods.

Hollywood star Chris Hemsworth is returning as the titular superhero alongside Tessa Thompson who reprises her role as Valkyrie. Actor Christian Bale plays the villain Gorr.

Portman, 41, said the film gave her the space to explore a character that could convert her weakness into strength.

“It is incredible to explore a female superhero that could be quite vulnerable and weak and find strength in that and be more like a human. I could relate to her personally,” she added.

Playing a superhero also gave her renewed respect for what her co-stars Hemsworth and Thompson have been doing for so many years. The actor, who had to go through physical training to bulk up for her role, said she was unaware of the hard work the team had to put in while creating these movies.

“It just gave me renewed respect for what Chris has been doing for over a decade, Tessa has been doing because I see how much work goes into it. I don’t think I was aware of it when I was in the first one (‘Thor’). I didn’t see everything that went on behind the scenes. Now when I got an insight into all of the choreography, training and everything, I was like, ‘Wow, this is a triple job of what I was doing back then’,” she said.

‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ will be released in India in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam on July 7.

The actor says, playing a superhero also gave her renewed respect for what her co-stars Hemsworth and Thompson have been doing for years