NATALIE PORTMAN PUTS HERSELF THROUGH TORTURE

Natalie Portman discusses the film Goya’s Ghosts’ stance on torture and how it still exists today.

Natalie Portman stars in Goya’s Ghosts as the daughter of a wealthy businessman with all the privileges that money can buy except her way out of prison when she is accused of being a heretic during the Spanish Inquisition and tortured for her sins.

Natalie says what the film’s stance is on torture.

“It’s argument against torture I think is that people will say what they think people want to hear in order to stop being tortured.”

Hanging upside down by chains and beaten is not something that Portman is familiar with but says torturing is not unique to the 17th century.

“Luckily it’s hard for me to imagine because I haven’t been through that myself but at the same time it is amazing because it does go on today. I think it’s gone on always where people are able to put each other through this incredible amount of pain for various reasons.”

The torture scenes directed by Milos Forman where Portman is hanging upside down were actually performed by Cirque du Soleil acrobats. Goya’s Ghosts is currently playing in theaters.