Natalie Portman MasterClass Review – Learn Acting in 2023

Natalie Portman is an award-winning, self-taught actress who started her journey when she was only 12. She’s been in the industry for almost 30 years now and has decided to pass on her knowledge to young actors by becoming a teacher on the learning platform MasterClass.

Today, we’re going to take a closer look at her class, share the advantages and disadvantages of taking it, and go over some feedback from people who’ve already watched her course on acting.

In Natalie Portman Masterclass review you will know her acting process and teaches you how to tackle your next role.

It’s exciting to think that Queen Amidala herself will teach you how to connect with a character and create a memorable experience for audiences all over the world. However, is the class for everyone, really? Let’s find out.

Who is Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman is an Israeli-American actress and filmmaker known for her exceptional work in movies of all genres. She made her on-screen debut at the tender age of 12 in an action-drama film called Leon: The Professional in 1994. In this film, she played the role of a hitman’s young apprentice. 

Natalie worked her way through the industry with no prior education in the field of acting. She learned on the job, trying to identify stuff that worked for her and evading those that didn’t. 

She is often referred to as one of the ultimate “eye-candies” of the industry—someone who rarely fails to engross the spectators with heart-wrenching and soulful acting.

Natalie was able to establish a name for herself as one of the heavyweights in filmmaking through her performance in movies such as Black Swan, Thor, V for Vendetta, Jackie, Star Wars, and many more. These blockbuster movies have won her numerous prestigious awards, uncountable nominations, and an immeasurable amount of success. She was recognized by the Academy and has won several Golden Globes. 

Overview of the Class

Natalie’s Masterclass consists of 20 video lessons, which are:

1. Introduction
2. Getting to Know Your Character
3. Developing Your Character Through Research
4. Developing Your Character’s Physicality
5. Scene Studies: Physical Gesture
6. Case Study: “Black Swan”
7. Dialect Coaching: Research and Practice
8. Dialect Coaching in “Jackie”
9. Working on Set
10. Performing on Camera
11. Working With Directors
12. Successful Collaborations With Directors
13. Case Study: Working With Terrence Malick
14. Playing a Real Character
15. Assignments in Developing Performance
16. Improvisation
17. Demo: Working With the Set, Props, and Camera
18. Green-Screen Acting
19. Advice for Actors
20. Active Empathy

A 61-page PDF workbook is also accessible as an additional source of information. You can get it only under the Duo or Family subscription plans, though. On top of that, you can also access the Community Hub, where you can start a discussion on any course or topic or network with fellow students who have taken the same courses as you. 

Pros and Cons

Pros

Here are some of the major advantages of taking Natalie Portman’s Masterclass.

1. Focuses On Theory And Practical Use

Natalie Portman focuses on answering questions many young actors seek answers to. She talks about the various methods of acting, discusses theories and demonstrates how to apply them when filming, and more.

2. Workbook Provided Is Substantial 

As mentioned earlier, this course comes with a PDF workbook to help you better understand the lessons. This supplementary resource contains useful information, links, and websites you can use for referrals and external learning. 

Lastly, the workbook contains excellent assignments you can take on at home and practice your skills.

Cons

Here are some downsides to Natalie’s Masterclass.

1. Not So Much Discussion On How To Get Into Acting

This might not be your solution if you’re considering taking this course to learn how to break into the film industry. It focuses more on how to upscale your acting skills and doesn’t give concrete steps to start your acting career journey. 

2. The Workbook is Not User-Friendly

The workbook contains massive information about the course; however, the physicality of the workbook seems to be a downside of this course. The fonts were too tiny to be comfortably visible, which demands you to zoom in on the page. This might be acceptable for some but can also be a nuisance to others. 

Who is This Class for

• Fans of Natalie Portman who want to know more about her journey and how she brought so many iconic characters to life. 
• People who have just started their acting career and are looking for ways to elevate their skills. 
• Actors who want to know how to make a deeper emotional connection to the character they are portraying. 
• Actors who want to know how to work with props, angles, and the set. 

Before jumping to Natalia’s course, keep in mind that you probably need to take introductory courses; her class is suitable for beginners, but she often uses terminology that might be foreign to you. 

How Much Does the Class Cost

MasterClass is a learning platform where people can find courses on various topics taught by celebrities and influential people in numerous industries.

Subscribing to MasterClass gives you an all-access pass to over 150 classes on subjects such as cooking, acting, branding, photography, and more. 

Currently, there are three subscription options offered by MasterClass. Those include: 

1. $15 per month on an annual billing

This is the individual plan, which allows one device to access the website and the courses. Unfortunately, this plan won’t allow you to save the videos for offline viewing or download the supplementary pdf workbook.

1. $20 per month on an annual billing

This plan is the duo plan, which allows two devices to access the website simultaneously, may it be our phone, laptop, or television. One advantage of this plan is that this will enable you to save and download videos and PDF workbooks, which undeniably benefits you and your learning. 

1. $23 per month on an annual billing

This family plan can be your best option if you want to share access with your family and friends, this family plan can be your best option. This plan allows six devices to access the website all at once. However, note that MasterClass only allows one profile for every subscription. Therefore, you will share your activity log to the other five devices. Similar to the duo plan, the family plan also allows you to download videos and PDF workbooks for all the courses you will be taking. 

On top of that, you receive a 30-day guarantee refund in case you’re not satisfied with the courses and the platform.

Users’ Experience

Here’s what people who’ve taken the course share online:

Most users, especially the beginners to intermediate level, attested that they loved the course and have learned so much from it. 

“After I take this Natalie Portman MasterClass, don’t be surprised when you see me win an Oscar for portraying Michelle Obama.”

-Akila Hughes (Twitter Post)

“Watching Natalie Portman’s Masterclass. It’s been really great to see the actor’s point of view and how they create/develop their characters. I’ve learned a lot as a writer and as a future director.”

-Jo Ferreira (Twitter Post)

On the other hand, some just gave a neutral comment, saying it’s not bad, but not as great as first expected. 

“Finished watching Natalie Portman’s MasterClass. I feel like I already know most of this stuff and the stuff I wanted to know is gonna have to be obtained from hands-on experience. Not a bad class for folks earlier on in their pursuit though! It was neat hearing her perspective.”

-Kimlinh Tran