Oh Natalie!

Natalie Portman’s world view was radically changed during a few years ago in Israel according to this interview in Newsweek. The program she is involved with has nothing to do with Israel but is indeed a noble one – microfinancing loans for poor women in developing nations.

Natalie on getting involved:

A few years ago I had a very personal experience, one that I don’t wish to share publicly, with political unrest in Israel. And it made me want to get involved in a productive way, not in a political finger-pointing way. My way of looking at the world, as an actress, is to try to put yourself in everyone’s shoes.

Natalie on Israel:

It’s a very tough time, but I think people are more hopeful than I’ve seen them in the past. Sharon surprised me in ways I did not expect. Although I don’t know if all the reasons behind the Gaza pullout are as idealistic as we might like to think, at the same time I don’t really care why they’re doing it as long as they’re doing it. If they didn’t do it, Israel won’t be a Jewish state in 10 years.

Natalie on her shaved head:

It’s totally fine. But I got pulled over at the tunnel the other night in New York. I’ve never had that happen to me before. It’s supposedly random. They pulled me over at the Midtown Tunnel. My registration was expired because I had been out of town, and it was my first day back. I’d been in Israel and Berlin for the shooting. They wouldn’t let me go in. But he said to take the bridge instead. And I didn’t understand that logic. If you’re a suspect, don’t take the tunnel take the bridge?

Harry on Natalie:

I think her shaved head is hot.