5 things to know about Natalie Portman’s Mighty Thor transformation

Thor finally returns to the big screen on July 7, albeit in the surprising new form of Jane Foster - Thor’s ex-girlfriend.

The character, played by Natalie Portman, shocked fans when she appeared in the Thor: Love and Thunder trailer mysteriously wielding the magical hammer, Mjlnor.

Here are the top five things you need to know about Portman’s transformation from world-renowned astrophysicist to intergalactic superhero, The Mighty Thor.

 

1. Chris Hemsworth was intimidated by her new physique

 

“Intimidating,” Hemsworth said of his initial experience seeing his co-star’s transformation for the first time.

Speaking with Variety at the film’s Los Angeles premiere, he said: "A little stab to the ego, but I quickly got over it and I was in awe of everything she had done on and off the screen. I'm such a fan.”

 

2. She was tasked to get as big as possible

 

Portman trained vigorously two hours a day for 10 months to bulk up for the role.

She trained from home for five months due to the pandemic, and eventually started training at 4:30am in the morning during filming.

This was a dramatic turn from what was expected of her in previous roles, such as her Oscar-winning performance as a stick-thin ballet dancer in Black Swan.

“On Black Swan, I was asked to get as small as possible,” Portman said in an interview with Variety Magazine. “Here, I was asked to get as big as possible. That’s an amazing challenge — and also state of mind as a woman.”

 

3. She’s a vegan

 

While building muscle is often associated with eating meat, Portman has been a vegan since the age of nine.

Instead of animal products, she consumed a heavy diet of lentils, vegan protein shakes and asparagus. Having the vegetable three times a day for a week straight, she claims, helps shed water weight and define muscle tone.

 

4. She had to ‘grow’ taller

 

The film features many scenes of Portman as The Mighty Thor standing eye-to-eye with her 183cm co-star Chris Hemsworth.

While Portman stands at only 162cm in real life, the crew used innovative methods to create the illusion of a much taller Jane Foster.

“We’d rehearse the scene, they’d see the path, and then they’d build a path that was like one foot off the ground or whatever, and I would just walk on that,” Portman told Variety Magazine.

 

5. Her new hair colour is intentional

 

While one might not think twice about Portman’s new blonde locks, her hair has been significantly lightened from previous Thor films for good reason.

“When Jane becomes the Mighty Thor, the idea is that the force of the hammer strips her hair blonde, but we kept the roots quite dark like when she was Jane,” said the film’s hair department head, Luca Vannella