Natalie Portman Pushes Gender Grievance After Oscar Nominations

Actress Natalie Portman raised concerns about the lack of female directors recognized in this year’s Academy Award nominations. 

The 44-year-old made the remarks over the weekend while hitting the Sundance Film Festival press circuit, per Variety. Portman wore“ICE OUT” and “Be Good” pins as an apparent statement against fatal interactions between federal immigration agents and protesters in Minneapolis.

“So many of the best films I saw this year were made by women,” Portman told the outlet. “You just see the barriers at every level because so many were not recognized at awards time.”

The actress went on to cite specific projects she said deserved Oscar nominations this year. 

“Between ‘Sorry Baby’ and ‘Left-Handed Girl’ and ‘Hedda’ and ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’…extraordinary films this year that I think a lot of people are enjoying and loving, but are not getting the accolades that they deserve,” she went on.

This year, one woman was nominated in the Best Director category: Chloé Zhao, director of the historical drama “Hamnet.” Other nominees in the category include Josh Safdie for “Marty Supreme,” Paul Thomas Anderson for “One Battle After Another,” Joachim Trier for “Sentimental Value,” and Ryan Coogler for “Sinners.” 

Portman was at Sundance promoting her film, “The Gallerist,” which was also directed by a woman.

The actress also disparaged federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. “This is such a joyful community celebrating film here and we’re so excited to be showing ‘The Gallerist,’ but we’re also at a moment in our country’s history that is quite devastating,” Portman told Variety. 

“It’s really impossible not to talk about what is happening right now and the brutality of ICE and how it has to stop immediately,” she said. “But also, there’s a beautiful community that Americans are showing right now. They’re showing up for each other, protecting each other and fighting for their freedom. It’s a bittersweet moment to celebrate something we’re so proud of on the backdrop of our nation in pain.”