Natalie Portman is returning to the Thor franchise in Thor: Love and Thunder as the Mighty Thor, a transformed version of the character, astrophysicist Jane Foster, whom she played in past Thor films. Unlike many of Portman’s former roles, this part involved the actress making serious gains in preparation to portray the comic book character. “On Black Swan, I was asked to get as small as possible,” Portman told Variety in a recent interview. “Here, I was asked to get as big as possible. That’s an amazing challenge — and also a state of mind as a woman,” she said. In order to get into superhero shape, Portman worked with certified Pilates instructor, personal trainer, and triathlete Naomi Pendergast, director at Real Performance Exercise (RPX). “It wasn’t just about having big muscles,” Pendergast tells Shape. “Her role involved learning various stunts that required her to have a strong core and an agile ability to land well. I was definitely surprised at how intense the physical side of the role was,” she adds.
Portman did to prepare for her role in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
