Natalie Portman Harvard Commencement Speech | Harvard Commencement 2015 | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Natalie Portman shares her experiences and insecurities, encouraging graduates to embrace their inexperience and find their own path.

Key Insights

• ❓ Insecurities and feelings of imposter syndrome are common, even among successful individuals like Natalie Portman.
• 🥺 Embracing inexperience can lead to taking risks and discovering new paths and opportunities.
• 💦 Finding personal and meaningful reasons for pursuing work and personal passions outweighs external measures of success.
• 🧑‍🏭 Human connections, acts of kindness, and helping others can bring fulfillment and make a lasting impact.

Transcript

hello class of 2015 I am so honored to be here today Dean Karana faculty parents and most especially graduating students thank you so much for inviting me the senior class committee it's genuinely one of the most exciting things I've ever been asked to do I have to admit primarily because I can't deny it as it was leaked in the Wikileaks release of... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Natalie Portman feel about her own worthiness when she came to Harvard?

Natalie Portman felt insecure and questioned her own intelligence, feeling the need to constantly prove herself as more than just a dumb actress.

Q: What did Natalie Portman learn from her experience making the film "Black Swan"?

Natalie Portman learned the importance of embracing her own inexperience and taking risks in her work, which ultimately led to one of her greatest artistic and personal experiences.

Q: How did Natalie Portman find her reason for pursuing acting?

Natalie Portman realized that her true passion and reason for pursuing acting was the joy of storytelling and connecting with others, rather than seeking financial or critical success.

Q: What does Natalie Portman suggest graduates do with their inexperience?

Natalie Portman advises graduates to use their inexperience as an asset, allowing them to think in original and unconventional ways, and to not be limited by others' expectations or standards.

Summary

In this video, Natalie Portman delivers a commencement speech at Harvard University where she reflects on her own experiences and offers advice to the graduating class. She discusses overcoming insecurities and finding one's own path, the importance of embracing inexperience, and the power of human interactions and relationships in shaping our lives. She also emphasizes the value of pursuing one's passions and staying true to oneself.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does Natalie Portman initially respond to being invited to speak at the graduation ceremony?

Natalie Portman admits that her initial response to being invited to speak at the graduation ceremony was to joke about needing funny ghostwriters. This response was influenced by the knowledge that Will Ferrell had been the previous year's class day speaker and that the students mainly wanted to laugh.

Q: How did Natalie Portman feel when she first came to Harvard as a freshman?

Natalie Portman felt insecure and thought there had been a mistake in her admission. She worried that she wasn't smart enough and would have to constantly prove herself as more than just a dumb actress.

Q: What advice does Natalie Portman give to the graduating students about insecurities and inexperience?

Natalie Portman advises the students to embrace their insecurities and inexperience. She suggests that these qualities can be harnessed to carve out their own unique paths, free from the burden of societal expectations. Inexperience allows for thinking in unconventional ways and approaching tasks with fresh perspectives.

Q: What example does Natalie Portman use to illustrate the idea of embracing inexperience?

Natalie Portman shares an anecdote about watching her son play arcade games at an amusement park. She realizes that he is more focused on winning the plastic toys as prizes rather than enjoying the challenge and improvement that come with playing the game. She highlights how prizes can serve as false idols, representing prestige, wealth, fame, and power, and advises the graduates to be wary of them.

Q: How does Natalie Portman reflect on her own achievements and awards?

Natalie Portman acknowledges that she has achieved some coveted awards and recognition over the course of her career, including an Oscar. She explores the contradiction of successful people warning others about the limitations of achievement. She concludes that achievement is wonderful when one understands why they are pursuing it, but it can become a trap when one is unsure of their reasons and pursues it solely for external validation.

Q: How does Natalie Portman discuss her experience at Harvard and her fear of not being taken seriously?

Natalie Portman talks about her experience at Harvard and her fear that others would assume she only got in because of her fame. She shares her insecurities about her abilities, particularly in relation to academics, and her desire to be seen as serious and intellectually deserving. She mentions her family's academic background and her concern about being taken seriously in contrast to her passion for acting.

Q: How does Natalie Portman express the importance of pursuing one's passions?

Natalie Portman reveals that she eventually realized her love for acting and storytelling through her experiences at Harvard. She explains that her passion for acting became her reason behind her Harvard degree and other achievements. She encourages the graduates to find their own reasons for pursuing their degrees and to explore their passions fully.

Q: What personal challenges did Natalie Portman face during her time at Harvard?

Natalie Portman shares that she faced difficulties during her sophomore year at Harvard, including heartbreak, the side effects of medication she was taking, and struggling with the lack of daylight during winter months. She experienced moments of feeling overwhelmed and turned to completing school work rather than excelling at it. Despite these challenges, she learned the value of perseverance and finishing tasks.

Q: How does Natalie Portman discuss the concept of being oblivious to one's limitations?

Natalie Portman explains how her obliviousness to her own limitations allowed her to take risks and try new things. She shares an example of how she convinced director Darren Aronofsky that she could do ballet for the film "Black Swan," even though she had no prior ballet experience. She suggests that being oblivious to one's limitations and having confidence can lead to taking risks and having remarkable experiences.

Q: In what way does Natalie Portman emphasize the importance of human interactions and relationships?

Natalie Portman emphasizes that some of the most fulfilling experiences in her life have come from human interactions and relationships. She mentions her experiences working with various organizations and meeting people from different walks of life. She encourages the graduates to value and nurture their friendships, as these connections will be a source of support and joy throughout their lives.

Takeaways

Natalie Portman's speech at Harvard University is both inspiring and insightful. She reminds the graduating class to embrace their insecurities and inexperience, as these qualities can lead to original and unconventional thinking. She emphasizes the importance of pursuing one's passions and finding personal meaning in one's work. Portman also highlights the significance of human interactions and the lasting impact of small acts of kindness. Ultimately, she urges the graduates to stay true to themselves and forge their own paths, controlling the rewards and fulfillment of their endeavors.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Natalie Portman reflects on her own feelings of insecurity and imposter syndrome, both during her time at Harvard and throughout her career.

• She encourages graduates to embrace their inexperience and not let it limit them, but rather use it as an opportunity to carve out their own unique path.

• Portman highlights the importance of finding meaning in one's work and personal life, and the value of human connections and acts of kindness.