Natalie Portman Recalls the ‘Nerve-Wracking’ Moments Before Her ‘V for Vendetta’ Head-Shaving Scene

Two decades after it first hit theaters, a cult classic is making its way back to the big screen. For its leading lady, one unforgettable scene left absolutely no room for error.

Natalie Portman is looking back on one of the most defining roles of her career in the 2005 action blockbuster "V for Vendetta," including the moments leading up to the daring scene in which her hair was completely shaved off.

Natalie Portman attends "The Gallerist" Premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at Eccles Center Theater on January 24, 2026 in Park City, Utah. | Source: Getty Images

"It was nerve-wracking that we only had one chance to do it," Portman, 45, told People ahead of the film's 20th anniversary theatrical re-release this month.

"I'm used to always having another chance in film, so it was scarier to have to nail the performance in one rather than be scared about the head shaving," she said.

Director James McTeigue also weighed in on the mood on set, saying "the atmosphere behind the camera was hard sometimes," especially while filming that scene.

Knowing they wouldn't get a second take, the filmmaker used three cameras to capture every angle. "When you're shaving off all Natalie's hair, she's like, 'Oh my God, I'm gonna really do this,' and she would be nervous," McTeigue recalled.

To give the actress a small sense of comfort, McTeigue brought in Portman's own hairdresser for the scene.

Set in a dystopian society, "V for Vendetta" centers on Portman's Evey, a young woman whose life is upended when she meets a masked freedom fighter determined to bring down their oppressive government.

The thriller is adapted from Alan Moore's graphic novel of the same name. Two decades after its release, Portman pointed out that the story continues to strike a chord because "unfortunately, authoritarian governments are a continuing issue."

"Even from the genesis of this project — the use of a Guy Fawkes mask — he fought against his own government planning the gunpowder plot in 1605, and then the graphic novel of V was written in the 1980s in reaction to the government at the time," Portman shared.

"So the project has always held a long timeline of the recurring theme of governments not serving their own citizens and citizens responding in protest," the actress said.

Portman shared the screen with Hugo Weaving, who played the film's masked vigilante, Stephen Fry, Stephen Rea, and John Hurt. Fry, who played Gordon Deitrich, echoed Portman's thoughts on the film's relevance to today's political climate.

"One of the deep pleasures of being associated with this picture is the number of times people have come to me and praised its acute relevance," Fry said.

He continued, "It's an anniversary now that one meets with a mixture of pride and shame. Pride in how well the film was put together by James McTeigue and the Wachowskis and shame in how little our society has done to prevent its prophetic nature from being disproved."

McTeigue shared the sentiment. "You can watch the film now and hold it up to the political cycle we're in and just go, 'Oh, that seems like it's close to what's happening,'" he said. The director also heaped praise on Portman's performance and her contribution to the film's message.

"And Natalie is just a brilliant actor and person and is very well-read and erudite. I thought she really brought it, because V is on one particular journey, but, obviously, the audience point of view is the Evey character, Natalie's character," he explained.

He added, "The way she brings great empathy to the role was very important to me, and she did an amazing job at that."