Photos
When screenwriter Aaron Sorkin was hired to write The Social Network, he knew that the only way he was going to be able to really create a believable portrait of student life on the campus of Harvard University was to have dinner with Natalie Portman. Wait, what?
In The Social Network, Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) models Facebook on Harvard’s legendary final clubs, private groups made up of some of the school’s most privileged students. But the clubs are as secretive as they are exclusive, which meant researching them was no easy task for screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. Luckily, he got a hand from one of the school’s most famous alums: Natalie Portman. The star studied at Harvard from 1999-2003 and dated a member of the famous Porcellian Club — and she couldn’t wait to tell Sorkin all about it.
“Natalie Portman got in touch with me when she heard that I was doing this to say, ‘Listen…come over for dinner and I’ll tell you some stories,’” Sorkin said to a group of Harvard students at a sneak preview screening last week. “I would’ve come over for dinner under any circumstances. But that was really helpful.”
Hahahha. Sure, Hollywood. The things that you guys do over there just make SENSE*. (Via EW.)
*NOT!
 |
 |
You Might Also Like
 Andy Samberg’s Harvard Class Day Speech |  The Commencement Address Dream List |  The Videogum Movie Club: The Social Network | Facebook: The Movie Trailer, You Guys |
Leave a Reply
Sign inSign in with FacebookYou must be logged in to post, reply to, or rate a comment.
She’s pretty…smart.
Rad comment.
She must have told him Nine Inch Nails would change his life.
Frank Sinatra voice: God Money, I’ll do anything for yoooouuuuuu
That’s Your College Graduate.
I wish!
“The star studied at Harvard from 1999-2003 and dated a member of the famous Porcellian Club — and she couldn’t wait to tell Sorkin all about it.”
“I went to Harvard”
-Natalie Portman
Ugh. I’ve always disliked Natalie Portman for some reason, and this really doesn’t help. yuck
I think it’s just the two of us in here.
I am firmly in the No On Proposition Portman camp. She’s not a good actress. Except in The Professional, when she was 12 and was just being a child.
This makes me happy. Everyone (EVERYONE) seems to just looooove her and I never even. I mean, seriously, what is up with that? She’s not that good. Not even in having a pretty face. She’s pretty, alright, but in a very generic way. I really don’t get it. And she’s just very c-wordy. /rant
Now you two–she can’t help it that she’s better than us in every way. It’s just the way that the holy Non-Denominational spirit made her!
There is definitely something Gwynethy about her.
But Garden State, y’all! The headphones were like an umbilical cord or some shit!!!
Ugh. Thanks for reminding me that movie exists. I remember a friend of mine (who loves her, but hates Zach Braff) being all “I just can’t believe she would do a movie this bad!” and I remember being like “really? Are you fucking kidding me? Are you for real right now?” I was 13 and I still speak to her, for some reason. storiesnoonecaresaboutgum.com
I have friends who still bring up the fact that when this movie came out I thought it sucked. “I just don’t get it? How could you think that movie sucks? It is sooo good!” That movie is not so good.
No BF, tell me it’s not true!!!
It’s okay, COD–it’s our differences that bring us closer together.
You’re right.
Love you.
I’m with you. When I lived in Japan she did this terrible commercial for Nescafe where she tried to speak Japanese, and it was so painful to watch. And then dating post-Nino Rojo Devendra Banhart didn’t help either.
That guy looks like he stinks.
I hate this about myself, but I look at her and think, Of course she tried to speak Japanese, she probably thinks her Japanese pronunciation is really great!
This is my college boyfriend’s fault, he irrationally disliked her and so I came to irrationally dislike her as well. MEM’RIES!
Unrelated foreign commercial note: I saw a commercial in France last week starring both George Clooney and John Malkovich. AND IT WAS FOR A COFFEE MAKER! After it was over Mrs. Sen_Tankerbell turned to me and said, “Did that just happen?”
The best ones I saw in Japan were a Ben Stiller Chu-Hai commercial (a fruity alcoholic beverage in cans) and a Nicholas Cage pachinko commercial. Amazing stuff.
Ugh, Chu-Hai. I drank a can of that on the train from the airport thinking it was lemon-lime soda and found myself unexpectedly drunk by the time we got to the city.
(Pro-tip: if you see a percent sign anywhere on the can assume it contains alcohol.)
I distinctly remember reading an interview with her where the writer claimed she spoke fluent Japanese (as just one example of how BRILLIANT she is.) I remember thinking to myself that had to be bullshit. Thanks for the confirmation.
hey now, wait a sec. smokey is his best album, definitively. now, if she had dated him post-whatever the new one is called, that would be different.
I respectfully disagree. He lost me with ‘Cripple Crow.’ #discussionsbestsuitedfortheothergum
Aaron Sorkin asked me, but i don’t rat out my friends.
After Mark Zuckerberg hears about this, he’s going to have Natalie Portman banned from Facebook. But where will she network, socially?!?
Status update: REJECTED
College chicks, I get ya!
if she was not actually IN the club, what could she say really? “i knew a dude in a club once. it was a very cool club to be in.” uh, thanks?
Open Letter to Christina Hendricks,
I’m writing a movie about wherever you went to college. Don’t know much about the place (haha!) but I’m working on it anyway. Just thought you might find that interesting. I don’t mean to imply anything. Hope you’re well!
Sincerely,
Huckabeast
Side note: I’m kinda freaking out over how often I interchange Huckabeast and Jon Hamm in my fantasies. It’s so wrong, but feels so right.
#things-I’ll-be-discussing-in-therapy-next-week
An easy mistake, cakeordeath! I get mistaken for Jon Hamm all the time IRL. All the time.
=
My marriage proposal stands, Cake.
Did I not accept? I ACCEPT!!!
COD, why must you run around on me so flagrantly? It hurts. It cuts to the heart of me.
There’s room for us all, BF.
A Big Love reference lets me know it was meant to be.
Get a room!
We’ve got one.
(I’m the one on the right by the way.)
Don’t worry you guys, she totally has a picture of a guy who went to state school in her wallet
I visited and stayed overnight at a certain Ivy when I was a senior in high school. My host, with the intent of showing me a good time, took me to a party. The theme was “State Schools”. People showed up with blacked-out teeth, beer can hats, wife beaters, and every white-trash stereotype.
I recognize that college students in general, regardless of where they go, are assholes. But the level of douchebaggery shocked me. How are there people that entitled and that clueless in the world?
I am upvoting you for having had the experience. I wish I could go to that party and downvote every one of those losers. Ugh.
Thanks, Baby Friday.
On the bright side, the experience made it super easy for me to say yes to the less prestigious school I actually wanted to go to. And I had the best four years ever there.
I should have done something to that effect myself. I loved my professors, but holy crap, did I go to school with some over-privileged dumbasses.
That was too depressing for Friday. My atonement, in sleepy kitty form:
Accepted.
So I knew a guy who went to Harvard at the same time as Natalie Portman and his friend made out with her at a Krokodiloes party and she was going by Natalie Hershlag at the time. So, cool story, no?
She went to the same high school as me, a few years prior sadly, and Elijah Wood took her to prom
#natalieportmanstorygum
“You have my virginity”
– Natalie, on prom night in the shire.
Wait, I’ve got one:
Natalie Portman visited my college once to plug her involvement with micro finance org FINCA. One of the first things she said to the packed auditorium was, “Wow, I was worried it was just going to be me and like six Star Wars fans.”
My favorite part was when they went to the party.
@ teacherman
I have been hearing that The Social Network comes off as Generation X telling Generation Y’s story, which gives it an inauthentic feel. Whatever that means…
Way to make my point first. in way less words.
No problem…
I think its worth talking about the fact that this movie, which supposedly “captures a moment and defines a generation” is being written, directed, produced, and — perhaps most importantly, reviewed by — people who represent the same “establishment” which the characters are attempting to overthrow. I don’t like how these people can claim that a work perfectly and accurately captures a moment that they all observed from afar? My point is, Natalie Portman may have “been there” but Natalie Portman, much like Aaron Sorkin, was definitely not there.
Natalie Portman is Loosing her Edge…
to the kids from France and London? Those kids are pretty loose.
I didn’t know Mark Zuckerberg was supposed to be the good guy.
You had me until the part about Harvard students trying to overthrow the establishment.
I don’t think I understand what you’re trying to say, but this is totally adorable to watch while listening to Thriller
‘this college will change your life’
Why on EARTH didn’t he interview the greatest Harvard graduate to walk the face of the earth?!?
So nice, I upvoted you twice.
“Aaron Sorkin is laying it on a little thick, I think”
“I know, right?”
I’m confused. Sorkin was writing about clubs composed of the most privileged, wealthy students at one of the most privileged, wealthiest universities in America. So he talked to a privileged, wealthy alumnus of that university, who at some level of personal knowledge of said clubs. What’s the problem.
I guess it makes her a snotty asshole for being eager to talk about going to Harvard? But, then, Sorkin was writing a movie about snotty assholes who went to Harvard? So…who cares?
I know, it sounds like Sorkin went to the right person.
Guys, Harvard alum Tommy Lee Jones wants to say something:
Harvard Beats Yale 29-29
FunFact: He was also dorm roommates with Al Gore.
FunFact 2: Al Gore could play dixie on the phone he shared with Tommy Lee Jones.” – guy who watched Harvard Beats Yale 29-29
I went to college with Natalie Portman
‘s cousin. Honest!
I do like that he admits he’d go over there for dinner for any reason. But I keep picturing Aaron Eckhart, and I keep thinking he doesn’t need Natalie Portman having him over for charity dinners. This comment pretty much is why I don’t comment anymore? It doesn’t make sense?
“You have my virginity”
– Natalie, on prom night in the shire.
You are a reply to Ian! What are you doing down here?! You don’t belong here!
I wouldn’t need Ms. Portman to tell me what secret ivy school clubs do (alcohol, drugs, sex, exchange papers/test answers, hang out), but I would still act shocked as she told me over dinner, hoping desperately to impress her because gonads.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9SN96v1Mec