Natalie Portman Celebrates Peace Deal at Lumière Film Festival

LYON, France — Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman expressed her excitement over the possibility of peace between Israel and Gaza while attending the Lumière Film Festival on Monday. As the two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas appears to be winding down, Portman remarked on the emotional reunions of the released hostages.

Portman described the day as a “momentous day,” highlighting the significance of the peace deal announced earlier this week. “To see the end of the war today and the release and swap of prisoners and hostages is really impactful,” the actress, best known for her role in “Star Wars,” said during the event.

This peace deal, brokered by former President Donald Trump, began with Hamas’s release of the last 20 living hostages in exchange for Israel freeing about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. According to multiple reports, this prisoner exchange is part of a broader 20-point peace plan aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict.

Portman was at the festival as a guest of honor, during which her illustrious Hollywood career was recognized. While discussing her roots, she stated, “I’m from Jerusalem, I was born in Jerusalem. So today is a very, very emotional day for me.” She expressed deep joy at the developments surrounding the hostage releases and peace agreement, saying, “It feels almost crazy to be talking about anything else except celebrating — hopefully — peace.”

Previously, Portman had shared her sorrow for Israel following the Hamas terror attacks on October 7, 2023. She expressed her pain over the violence, saying, “Children, women and the elderly have been murdered and abducted from their own homes.”

Portman is also promoting her new animated movie, “Arco,” co-produced with Sophie Mas. She emphasized the need to spread positivity in light of recent events, stating, “I definitely feel the need to put positivity into the world right now.” The actress noted her recent work has included comedies like “The Galerist” and “Good Sex,” which will be released next year.