Portman waxay ahayd xulashada ugu horreysa ee ay ku ciyaarto Juliet ee William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet, laakiin soo saarayaashu waxay dareemeen in da'deedu aysan ku habboonayn. Sanadkii 1997, Portman waxay ciyaartay doorka Anne Frank ee la qabsiga Broadway ee The Diary of Anne Frank. Waxay ahayd ka dib 1996's Gabdhaha quruxda badan in Portman ay diideen inay aqbalaan doorarka halka ay jilaaga ahayd dhalinyaro galmo leh. Wareysi uu siiyay The Guardian, qoraaga Simon Hattenstone wuxuu weydiiyay Portman haddii ay ka warqabto inay sabab u tahay inay "ku lug leedahay riyada dadka aan qaangaarka ahayn", taas oo Portman uga jawaabtay inay "dictated badan oo ka mid ah xulashooyinkeyga ka dib markii ay ka cabsadeen... Waxay iga dhigtay inaan aqbalo doorka Juliet.
dabayaaqadii 1999