{"id":39221,"date":"2025-08-01T11:25:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-01T11:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/39221\/"},"modified":"2025-08-01T11:25:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T11:25:07","slug":"fans-gave-natalie-portman-this-compliment-its-not-always-nice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/39221\/","title":{"rendered":"Fans Gave Natalie Portman This ‘Compliment.’ It’s Not Always Nice."},"content":{"rendered":"

Natalie Portman<\/a> recently made a surprise appearance onstage at a concert in New York City, much to the excitement of her fans. But some social media users have been praising the actor\u2019s looks with a common compliment that experts in mental health say needs some serious reconsideration.<\/p>\n

The \u201cBlack Swan\u201d actor surprised concertgoers at Madison Square Garden on Monday night when she ran onstage and danced with the artist named Role Model, as he and a band performed his song, \u201cSally, When the Wine Runs Out.\u201d Portman and Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, are starring together in an upcoming film directed by Lena Dunham titled \u201cGood Sex.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video clips of<\/a> the moment<\/a> were posted to the official Instagram accounts for Billboard and Rolling Stone. Fans of the two flocked to Instagram to celebrate the light-hearted moment. And while the comment section was flooded with praise and positive vibes, there was one theme that came up quite a bit: People celebrated Portman for looking \u201cyoung.\u201d <\/p>\n

One commenter observed that Portman, 44, will be 50 in six years, and that she has \u201creally great genetics.\u201d Others remarked that she \u201cnever ages,\u201d that she looks like a 20-year-old or that she just simply looks good for her age. One commenter even quipped that the actor\u2019s youthful appearance must be due to \u201cwitchcraft.\u201d<\/p>\n

But one Instagram user in the comment section playfully hit back at the insinuation from others that 44 years old is not considered young, writing: \u201cI\u2019m also 44. We ain\u2019t dead. lol. Of course, Natalie can jump around!\u201d<\/p>\n

While many may enjoy getting comments from others about looking young, we spoke with two mental health experts who say these kinds of remarks may not sit well with everyone, and they may suggest that being older is a bad thing \u2014 even if the remarks are well-intended. <\/p>\n

\"Natalie<\/p>\n

Jason Howard\/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Natalie Portman photographed on the set of “Good Sex” on July 21 in New York City.<\/p>\n

Emphasizing that someone looks good for their age may \u2018reinforce the idea that youth is better than aging,\u2019 one expert said. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhile people saying Natalie Portman \u2018doesn\u2019t look 44\u2019 might seem like a compliment, it often implies that looking your age or being older is a bad thing,\u201d said Hallie Kritsas<\/a>, a licensed mental health counselor and therapist with Thriveworks who specializes in self-esteem, workplace issues and anxiety. \u201cThe comments (even when well-intended) can reinforce the idea that youth is better than aging.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis idea can make people feel less worthy as they grow older,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n

Anita Chlipala<\/a>, a licensed marriage and family therapist, and founder of practice Relationship Reality 312, questioned whether we as a society can \u201ceven know what \u2018normal\u2019 is supposed to look like at any age anymore.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been airbrushing models \u2014 models! \u2014 on covers of magazines for decades,\u201d she said. \u201cNow with all of these apps, we can erase bags under our eyes, eliminate our wrinkles, and lose a few pounds, all with a click of a button. Women in their 20s and 30s are already using Botox. So really, what is 44 \u2018supposed to\u2019 look like?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cComments like those that Portman received can increase the pressure for anyone to look young instead of embracing the natural aging process,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n

People often equate youthfulness with \u2018looking good.\u2019 But there are other ways to compliment someone\u2019s appearance. <\/p>\n

Chlipala emphasized that \u201cthe anti-aging industry is a multibillion-dollar industry,\u201d and that society is being fed the standard that \u201cwe should be wrinkle-free with baby-soft skin, even as we age.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an impossible standard to meet. Beauty is subjective \u2014 what one person finds attractive may not be the case for the next person,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can make the distinction between \u2018youthfulness\u2019 and \u2018looking good,\u2019 because those can be two different things. People can look good at any age, and it shouldn\u2019t matter if they have wrinkles on their face or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chlipala pointed out that for many people, looking older can \u201cserve as a reminder of our mortality,\u201d whereas \u201ccelebrating youthfulness can be
a temporary denial or avoidance of our physical decline.\u201d<\/p>\n

And instead of celebrating someone else\u2019s \u201cyouthfulness,\u201d she said you can \u201ccomment on a person\u2019s confidence and radiance, the way that they carry themselves, and the energy that they bring to the interaction.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can also comment on their sense of fashion style \u2014 although this is still commenting on one\u2019s appearance, it transcends age limits,\u201d she added. <\/p>\n

Kritsas said that instead of equating looking young with \u201clooking good\u201d or with \u201cbeauty and worth,\u201d as a society we should \u201ccelebrate beauty at every age.\u201d Not doing so could \u201cunintentionally lessen the value of aging, which can be both natural and meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Thank you again for your support along the way. We\u2019re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe should shift the focus from age to focusing on confidence, joy and presence. Looking good could purely mean looking like \u2018you,\u2019\u201d she said. <\/p>\n

Kritsas advised that appreciating how someone acts or carries themselves could perhaps be a better approach to complimenting someone. <\/p>\n

\u201cA better way to compliment someone\u2019s appearance might be something like, \u2018You look so confident,\u2019 or \u2018You have such a warm and bright presence,\u2019\u201d she later added, explaining that this approach \u201cshifts the focus from age to personality and energy.\u201d<\/p>\n