Natalie Portman reveals her acting secrets as she launches $90 online masterclass  

Natalie Portman has shared her top tips for budding actors in her new virtual masterclass. 

The Oscar-winning star, 38, joins a host of stars offering lessons on online-education provider, MasterClass. 

A trailer for the programme, sees Natalie talk through her process and show how she’s managed to become thrice-nominated for both the Academy Awards and BAFTAs. 

Tune in: Natalie Portman has shared her top tips for budding actors in her new virtual masterclass. The Oscar-winning star, 38, joins a host of stars offering lessons online

In the two-minute clip, Natalie begins by urging her students to, ‘be free, make mistakes, try things’, stressing, ‘this is a job about your imagination’. 

Discussing how she connects with her characters, Natalie explains: ‘You want to make it as human as possible – what is their desire?’ 

She continues: ‘I did not go to a traditional drama school, I learnt by doing. Now I’ve pieced together some things that were helpful for me that I want to share with you.’ 

Learning from the best: Natalie picked up the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Black Swan back in 2011. She has been nominated for three Academy Awards and BAFTAs in her career

Learning from the best: Natalie picked up the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Black Swan back in 2011. She has been nominated for three Academy Awards and BAFTAs in her career

Natalie, who gained international recognition for starring in 1999’s Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, also revealed that she loves working with special effects. 

She muses: ‘Green screen in acting is kind of the purest form of acting, because you’re inventing both what’s outside of you, but also what’s inside of you as an actor.’

Natalie then offers some of her tips by demonstrating a scene, revealing that she is playing the role of a woman who has just learned her boyfriend has been unfaithful and has entered his apartment. 

Be free: In the two-minute clip, Natalie begins by urging her students to, 'be free, make mistakes, try things', stressing, 'this is a job about your imagination'

Be free: In the two-minute clip, Natalie begins by urging her students to, ‘be free, make mistakes, try things’, stressing, ‘this is a job about your imagination’

She states: ‘You want to scour the space to see what might be emotionally relevant. Help the camera catch whats being read.

‘Get very close to the camera to give a feeling of what you might be going through.’

Referring to her Oscar-nominated turn as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 2016’s Jackie, she continues: ‘When I was asked to play Jackie I was terrified. 

‘I always work with a dialect coach. When you see where the breaths are, you can read what is happening underneath what the person is saying.’ 

Scorned: Natalie then offers some of her tips by demonstrating a scene, revealing that she is playing the role of a woman who has just learned her boyfriend has been unfaithful

Scorned: Natalie then offers some of her tips by demonstrating a scene, revealing that she is playing the role of a woman who has just learned her boyfriend has been unfaithful

The trailer concludes with Natalie reasoning: ‘This is a joyful, creative process. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Your job is to imagine someone else’s life.’ 

In a statement, Natalie said: ‘Acting is a joyful experience. It’s the act of empathy and play. 

‘You should be free to be creative, try new things and make mistakes. That is how I learned.

‘In this class, I’m excited to share what I’ve pieced together over 25 years as an actress — things that have worked for me, things that I’ve seen work well for others, and tips I created to help myself.’ 

The trailer concludes with Natalie reasoning: 'This is a joyful, creative process. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Your job is to imagine someone else's life'

The trailer concludes with Natalie reasoning: ‘This is a joyful, creative process. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Your job is to imagine someone else’s life’

Variety states that in the 20 session masterclass, Natalie ‘shares insights and experiences over a 25-plus year career including case studies on her most notable roles’.

She’ll explain how she creates character maps and researches her roles.

Natalie will also talk about ways to work with a director and how to choose how to speak and use dialects for a character.   

Natalie first came to prominence as the child star of Luc Besson’s 1994 thriller Leon: The Professional opposite Jean Reno and Gary Oldman.

Referring to her Oscar-nominated turn as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 2016's Jackie, she continues: 'When I was asked to play Jackie I was terrified'

Referring to her Oscar-nominated turn as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in 2016’s Jackie, she continues: ‘When I was asked to play Jackie I was terrified’ 

Her next high profile role was as Queen Amidala/Padmé in the Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace in 1999. She went on to reprise the role in Attack Of the Clones and Revenge Of The Sith.

She also starred in Closer, for which she received her first Oscar nomination, V For Vendetta, The Other Boleyn Girl, Thor and Jackie, for which she was also nominated for an Academy Award.

She’ll next be seen on screen this year in the sci-fi drama Lucy In The Sky, in which she stars as an astronaut who experiences a life-changing mission in space and begins to lose touch with reality once back on Earth. 

Natalie met her husband Benjamin Millepied on the set of Black Swan for which she received a best actress Oscar in 2011.

The couple, who currently reside in Los Angeles, married in 2012 and have two children – son Aleph, seven, and daughter Amalia, two.

Other stars who have signed up to MasterClass include the likes of Martin Scorsese, Jodie Foster, Steve Martin and Aaron Sorkin. 

One to watch: Natalie first came to prominence as the child star of Luc Besson's 1994 thriller Leon: The Professional opposite Jean Reno and Gary Oldman

One to watch: Natalie first came to prominence as the child star of Luc Besson’s 1994 thriller Leon: The Professional opposite Jean Reno and Gary Oldman