Before the Academy Award broadcast on Sunday, February 27 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood, California, second-time mom-to-be Natalie Portman announced that she was too pregnant to attend.
The Jackie biopic star released a statement about her decision to sit out the award show and stay home with husband, choreographer Benjamin Millepied and 5-year old son, Aleph.
“Due to my pregnancy, I am unable to attend the Independent Spirit Awards and the Academy Awards,” Postman said in a statement to E! News on Saturday. “I feel so lucky to be honored among my fellow nominees and wish them the most beautiful of weekends.”
The actress is nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress for her leading role in Jackie. She had previously won an Oscar for the 2010 film Black Swan and was nominated before that for her supporting role in the 2004 movie Closer.
Portman was also nominated for Best Female Lead at the Film Independent Spirit Awards for her role in Jackie. The film also got an Oscar nod for Best Feature, Best Director and Best Editing.
Back in 2011, she accepted her Oscar for Best Actress while pregnant with Aleph and thanked Millepied, a choreographer who worked with her on the film, for giving her “the most important role of [her] life.” Her then soon-to-be-born son. Awwww!
Though not there in person, she was seen in an Oscar night version of host Jimmy Kimmel‘s popular “Mean Tweets” segment.
She read the first one actually: “I feel like if u went to lunch w/Natalie Portman she would only order a hot tea with Lemon and MAYBE some toast, but definitely not an entree tho,” she read before the camera pans out and she turns to show the silhouette of her big belly.”
“You’re wrong,” she whispers looking the camera dead in the eye! Hilarious.
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