Natalie Portman Will Star in a New, Very Jewish TV Show!

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Natalie Portman

By Lior Zaltzman

This story originally appeared on Kveller, 70 Faces Media’s Jewish parenting site.

Well, I’m feeling pretty blessed right now. Just a week after learning that the uber-talented Shira Haas is going to star as Golda Meir in a limited TV series (which will be produced by Barbra Streisand, no less), I just discovered that my other Israeli fave, Natalie Portman, will be headlining a pretty Jewish TV show, too!

Here are the deets: Portman, who was born Natalie Hershlag (I just love her OG last name, OK?), will play Jewish housewife and mom turned investigative reporter Maddie Schwartz in an upcoming Apple TV+ series. The show will be directed by the gifted Israeli filmmaker Alma Har’el — and if you’ve seen Honey Boy, you know you’re in for a visual treat.

The series, which is based on Laura Lippman’s book Lady In The Lake, will take place in Pikesville, a very Jewish Baltimore suburb, in the 1960s. It will also star Lupita Nyong’o — andwe are beyond excited about Nyong’o being in the cast! (Yes, we mentioned Portman first because we are a Jewish publication, but, just so you know, in this Jewish house, we stan Lupita Nyong’o.)

Nyong’o will play Cleo Sherwood, “a hard-working woman juggling motherhood, many jobs, and a passionate commitment to advancing Baltimore’s Black progressive agenda,” according to Deadline.