When she’s not portraying Jane Foster in Thor movies, Natalie Portman has an excellent side career going as an Academy Award-winning actress. The future sees Portman attached to not one but two Terrence Malick projects, first among them being his upcoming Knight of Cups. It’s now quite likely we’ll also see Portman portray one of the most iconic historical figures of modern times, as Collider reports she’s in talks to play the Kennedy phase of Ms. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
While no director is attached as yet, it’s not hard to imagine Portman knocking this one out of the park. She’s got the look and the chops to portray a convincing Jackie O. Reportedly entitled Jackie, the Noah Oppenheim-written film takes place immediately after the JFK assassination – so you can expect it to be pretty heavy in terms of subject matter. Tragedy seemed to follow the poor woman wherever she went, so even the thought of Jackie consoling a young John F. Kennedy Jr. in the aftermath of his father’s death has an added layer of melancholy.
It’s safe to assume a name director will become attached some point soon. If there’s a shortlist I have to hope Stephen Frears would be one of the first names on it.