Natalie Portman didn’t have a ton to do in her two big stints as Jane Foster, the erstwhile ladyfriend of Chris Hemsworth’s Thor. She wasn’t even given a cameo in the third one. But she’s back in the forthcoming fourquel Thor: Love and Thunder, this time with a meatier role. We already know that she’ll be Mighty Thor, the female version of the Nordic god. She even gets to wield that hammer, as we’ve seen. In case there was any doubt, the film’s director promised that she’ll have a lot more to do this time around.
In a new interview with Empire (as caught by The Hollywood Reporter), Taika Waititi explained the impetus behind giving Jane Foster a lot more action. “You don’t want Natalie coming back and playing that same character who’s walking around with science equipment,” Waititi explained. “You know, while Thor’s flying around, she’s left on Earth, tapping her foot going, ‘When’s he going to be back?’ That’s boring. You want her to be part of the adventure.”
He also pointed out another thing about Portman: She’s hilarious. “Natalie’s really funny in real life,” he said. “She’s kind of goofy and has got a great sense of humor, and I don’t think that was exploited enough in the first films.”
Thor: Love and Thunder will be released on July 8.
