Natalie Portman Harvard Commencement Speech (VIDEO)

Natalie Portman spoke at Harvard's College Class Day in Tercentenary Theater on Wednesday in Cambridge.

Portman, a 2003 graduate of Harvard, delivered an emotional commencement speech.

Portman, 33, joked up front that she had wanted several comedy writers for her speech because at her Class Day, Will Ferrell was their funny speaker. 

"When I got to Harvard just after the release of Star Wars: Episode 1, I feared people would assume I had gotten in just for being famous, and not worthy of the intellectual rigor here," the actress said, noting: "It's easy to romanticize my time here, but I had some difficult times here."

Natalie also referred to some "pretty dark moments" as a Harvard student.

"There were several occasions I started crying in meetings with professors, overwhelmed with what I was supposed to pull off when I could barely get out of bed in the morning," Portman recalled.



Natalie learned as she studied for her character in "Black Swan" that "the only thing that separates you from others is your quirks, or even flaws."

"There was a reason I was an actor," Portman declared, adding: "because I love what I do and I saw from my peers and my mentors that was not only an acceptable reason, that was the best reason."



Check out Natalie Portman's full speech below…

 

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