Natalie Portman reveals her upcoming slate

After 'V for Vendetta' and 'Goya's Ghost', the actress will make a children's film called 'Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium'.

Jun  9 2005

Visiting the 'V for Vendetta' set last week, Time Out caught up with Natalie Portman to find out what the currently very bald actress has planned next.

'I'm doing a film called Goya's Ghost with Milos Forman,' she exclusively revealed to TO. 'It's a period tale set during the Spanish Inquisition, and Goya, his inquisitor and one of his muses are the three main characters.'

Portman says she can't wait to sink her teeth into the role and immerse herself in the culture and history of the time.

'There's tonnes of stuff I'll have to learn for the film' she explains excitedly, 'About Catholicism, about Spain, about painting, about art history and the history of the church in Spain. I'll also have to learn how to play the piano and conduct.

'I'll get to do stuff which is really challenging which is great, but it has to be like that because if I'm not obsessed with my work I'll get obsessed with something else.'

The young actress will then change genres altogether, making her first children's film:

'After that I'm doing 'Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium', she revealed, 'It's written by Zack Helm, who wrote 'Stranger than Fiction' which they're shooting right now. He's a great writer.'

'Magorium' follows the adventures of Portman's character when she becomes the manager of a magical toy shop following the death of its previous owner.

Helm will make his directorial debut with the project, which is due to start filming early next year.

With that, Portman heads off to film more 'V' action in Aldwych tube station, but we couldn't let her go without talking about the hair, or lack of it.

Having a shaved head has apparently been a very liberating experience for the 'Closer' star. 'It's been really nice to step away from vanity a little bit,' she explained, 'The time you spend on your appearance as a woman - if you put all that together you'd have an extra ten years of your life. It's been great to get away from that.'

But before her departure, Portman revealed that it won't be long before her tresses are back: 'I really like it, but I'm simultaneously aware that it takes a really long time to grow back, so the sooner, the better!'

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