Natalie Portman has voiced strong criticism of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences following the announcement of the 2026 Oscar nominations, calling out what she described as the continued marginalization of female filmmakers during awards season.
Speaking to Variety on Saturday while promoting her new film The Gallerist at the Sundance Film Festival, Natalie Portman said she was disappointed by the lack of recognition given to movies directed by women. The 44-year-old actress emphasized that many of the most compelling films she watched over the past year were helmed by female directors but failed to receive major awards consideration.
“So many of the best films I saw this year were made by women,” Portman said. “You just see the barriers at every level because so many were not recognized at awards time.” She went on to name several projects she felt deserved more attention, including Sorry Baby, Left-Handed Girl, 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 they deserve,” she added.
Natalie Portman also highlighted the systemic challenges women face long before awards nominations are announced. According to her, the struggle begins at the earliest stages of filmmaking, from securing financing to gaining access to major film festivals.
“Even when you pass the barriers of getting your financing, which is harder, getting into festivals, which is harder—every step of the road is harder,” she explained. “And then you’re out and it’s great, and then it also doesn’t get the attention. We have a lot of work to do still.”
Despite the frustration, Natalie Portman noted that collaboration among women in the industry remains a source of joy and motivation. “But joyfully, with a lot of joy, working with each other—and it’s a very special process to be in community with women on set,” she said.
Portman’s comments come as the Academy’s 2026 nominations reveal limited recognition for female directors across major categories. In the Best Director race, Chloé Zhao is the only woman nominated for her work on Hamnet. The film is also the sole female-directed project among the ten Best Picture nominees. In the Best International Feature Film category, only one entry—Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab—was directed by a woman.
Portman herself collaborated with a female director on The Gallerist, which was directed by Cathy Yan. The film features an ensemble cast including Jenna Ortega, Sterling K. Brown, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Charlie XCX, and Zach Galifianakis, with Portman also serving as a producer.
She is also among this year’s Oscar nominees as a co-producer of Arco, which is competing in the Best Animated Feature category. Portman is no stranger to the Academy Awards, having won Best Actress in 2011 for Black Swan, directed by Darren Aronofsky. She previously earned nominations for Best Supporting Actress for Closer in 2005 and Best Actress for Jackie in 2017.
The actress has a well-documented history of advocating for gender equality in Hollywood. At the 2020 Oscars, Portman made a statement by wearing a gold gown paired with a black cape embroidered with the names of female directors who were overlooked that year, including Little Women director Greta Gerwig. Two years earlier, she drew widespread attention at the Golden Globes when she pointedly introduced the Best Director category by saying, “And here are all the male nominees.”
As the debate over representation in the film industry continues, Portman’s latest remarks underscore ongoing concerns about equity, recognition, and opportunity for women behind the camera—even at the highest levels of Hollywood acclaim.
