In the sun-drenched gardens of Domaine les Naysses, the former home of Catherine Dior, Natalie Portman reflects on a relationship that has spanned fifteen years. As the face of Miss Dior since 2011, Portman has grown from a young ingenue into a formidable force in global cinema, all while mirroring the evolution of one of the world’s most iconic fragrances. In 2025, that partnership enters its most daring chapter yet with the launch of ‘Miss Dior Essence.’ This new iteration, composed by Dior’s Perfume Creation Director Francis Kurkdjian, balances a bold, fruit-forward intensity with a grounding woodiness—a scent profile Portman describes as “feminine, bold, and fearlessly strong.” It is a fitting metaphor for her own current trajectory, as she prepares to dominate the 2025 box office with a diverse slate of projects that range from animated mischief in ‘The Twits’ to the high-stakes intrigue of ‘The Gallerist.’ For Portman, beauty and artistry are inseparable, both rooted in a commitment to idealism, courage, and the radical act of staying true to oneself.
The Living Legacy of Catherine Dior
The inspiration behind the newest Miss Dior campaign is not a fictional character, but a real-life hero: Catherine Dior, the sister of Christian Dior and a courageous French Resistance fighter. For Portman, this connection to history adds a profound layer of meaning to her role as a brand ambassador. “Catherine’s fearlessness and her daring represent the qualities Christian Dior wanted to bring to all women,” Portman explains. In the 2025 campaign, Portman embodies this spirit of resistance and idealism, standing as a symbol of the “Miss Dior woman” who is romantic yet fiercely independent.
Portman’s respect for the heritage of the house is evident in how she speaks about the production process. She recalls visiting the rose fields in Grasse, watching flowers being hand-picked by women who have held the secrets of the craft for generations. This ancestral tradition, paired with Kurkdjian’s modern “poetic” approach to scent, has turned the fragrance into a physical manifestation of memory and strength. For Natalie, Miss Dior Essence is a reminder that beauty isn’t just aesthetic; it is a legacy of resilience passed down through the decades.
The actor notes that her relationship with the Dior team has evolved into something akin to family. Having worked with the house through various stages of her personal life—from her early thirties to becoming a mother—she feels that the Miss Dior character has grown alongside her. This sense of parallel growth is central to the 2025 vision: a woman who has moved beyond the “intimidation” of her youth to find a sense of ease, confidence, and grounded power in her own skin.
‘The Gallerist’ and the Ruthless Art World
While her work with Dior celebrates the ethereal, Portman’s upcoming film The Gallerist dives into the grit and greed of the contemporary art scene. Directed by Cathy Yan, the dark comedy thriller stars Portman as Polina Polinski, a high-strung gallerist navigating the cutthroat world of Art Basel Miami Beach. The film’s plot—which involves a viral sculpture and an attempt to sell a corpse—has already generated massive buzz for its “wickedly fun” script and stellar ensemble cast, including Jenna Ortega, Sterling K. Brown, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
In the first released images from the film, Portman is seen sporting an uncharacteristic blonde look, signaling a physical transformation into the ruthlessly ambitious Polina. The role allows Portman to explore the satirical side of high society, a sharp contrast to the romanticism of her fragrance campaigns. “Acting and psychology are very similar,” she notes, “it’s about observing why people do what they do and what motivates them.” In The Gallerist, she deconstructs the motivations of power and prestige, offering a performance that critics are already calling one of her most electric.
The film is set to premiere at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, marking a major milestone in Portman’s production career under her MountainA banner. By collaborating with directors like Yan and co-stars like Ortega, Portman continues to position herself as a champion of bold, director-driven cinema. The Gallerist represents a shift toward a more cynical, sharp-witted genre, proving that the Oscar winner remains one of the most versatile and fearless actors of her generation.
A Rom-Com Renaissance: ‘Good Sex’ and Joyful Dreaming
Perhaps the most anticipated project on Portman’s 2025 horizon is Good Sex, a romantic comedy written and directed by Lena Dunham. Portman stars as Ally, a 40-year-old couples therapist who finds herself reluctantly diving back into the chaotic New York dating scene after a decade of failed relationships. The project sparked a high-profile bidding war, eventually landing at Netflix in a deal worth approximately $55 million. For Portman, returning to the rom-com genre is a deliberate choice to bring “joy and dreaming” back to the screen.
“I love romantic comedies more than any other kind of film,” Portman admits. “We need lots of joy and connection in the world right now.” Working with Dunham—whom she describes as an “absolute genius”—offered Portman the chance to explore a character that is deeply relatable, vulnerable, and funny. The cast is a “rom-com royalty” dream team, featuring Mark Ruffalo, Meg Ryan, and Rashida Jones. This ensemble underscores the film’s status as a major cultural moment, signaling a “renaissance” for a genre that has often been overlooked in the age of the superhero blockbuster.
The film, which wrapped principal photography in New York City in late 2025, focuses on the complexities of adult intimacy and the enduring hope of finding human connection. For an actor who has spent much of her career in heavy dramas and action epics, Good Sex feels like a breath of fresh air. It is a celebration of the “feminine and the romantic”—themes that align perfectly with her work for Miss Dior—proving that even in the most cynical of times, the search for love remains the most compelling story of all.
Reimagining Roald Dahl: ‘The Twits’ and Animated Mischief
Adding to her diverse 2025 portfolio, Portman has lent her voice to the animated feature The Twits, a Netflix adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl story. Starring alongside Margo Martindale, Portman takes on a role that allows her to lean into the grotesque and the absurd. The film follows the titular terrible couple who meet their match in a brand-new story inspired by Dahl’s iconic characters. For Portman, animated work offers a different kind of creative freedom, allowing her to experiment with vocal characterization and humor.
This project is part of a larger trend in Portman’s career toward family-friendly and imaginative storytelling. Earlier in 2025, she also starred in the Guy Ritchie action-adventure Fountain of Youth on Apple TV+, playing an estranged sibling on a quest for the legendary spring alongside John Krasinski. These high-energy, adventure-filled roles show a side of Portman that is playful and adventurous, appealing to a wide demographic while maintaining the “Magazine World” standard of high-production value and elite talent.
Whether she is chasing mythical fountains or voicing mischievous literary characters, Portman’s choices in 2025 reflect a desire to explore the full spectrum of human experience. She is no longer just the “face” of a brand or the “star” of a drama; she is a curator of stories. This multi-faceted approach to her career—balancing the commercial with the independent, and the live-action with the animated—is what has kept her relevant and revered for over three decades.
The Art of Preserving the Self
At the core of Natalie Portman’s 2025 philosophy is a simple but radical idea: “You do need to preserve yourself so you can enjoy the love.” This sentiment, shared during her conversations about the Miss Dior Essence launch, serves as a guiding principle for both her personal and professional life. In an industry that often demands total self-sacrifice, Portman has managed to build a career that prioritizes her own values, her family, and her intellectual curiosity.
She is a “savvy investor” and a “committed producer,” but she remains, at her heart, an observer. Her move to Paris and her “reinvention” as an adopted Parisian have allowed her to immerse herself in a culture that values art, literature, and freedom of thought. This environment has clearly fueled her current creative output, providing the “bold and sensual” energy that she brings to every role. For Portman, the greatest luxury is not the fame or the couture, but the ability to be “true to yourself.”
As she looks forward to the premieres of The Gallerist and Good Sex, Portman remains grounded in the present moment. “Scent is so provocative for memory,” she muses, recalling the smell of jasmine in North African markets and the citrus groves of her childhood. In 2025, Natalie Portman is busy creating new memories—on film, in fragrance, and in the quiet moments between. She is the architect of her own aura, a woman who has answered the question “What would you do for love?” by choosing to love the work, the world, and herself.
