Natalie Portman deals with criticism better because of Lena Dunham.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

The 'Black Swan' star credits the 'Girls' actress for "inspiring her" to not worry about the negative responses she can get.

She told Entertainment Weekly: "I do think the 'vanity project' concept is definitely used more against women. I found myself very affected by seeing reviews like that as a kid, growing up, when Barbra Streisand directed 'The Mirror Has Two Faces' [in 1996]. I remember, as a 12-year-old, reading reviews saying it was a 'vanity project' and talking about how she lights herself and stuff, and it made me reluctant to try taking on multiple roles on this film. To be a writer, director, and actress, I was like, 'Oh my God, they're going to kill me for this!'

"I remember seeing 'Tiny Furniture', Lena Dunham's film, and when the credits rolled I started crying because it was written by Lena Dunham, starring Lena Dunham, produced by Lena Dunham, and directed by Lena Dunham ... This young woman has no fear of saying, 'I did it, I did all of this.' And it was so good. It inspired me to not be afraid of that criticism."

Meanwhile, the 35-year-old actress previously admitted she finds it hard to watch herself on screen.

She shared: "It's hard [to see myself on screen]. And I think it was good for me because normally I can't watch myself at all, and watching myself makes me cringe, and I cover my face, and it's very hard to watch.

"I think people who aren't in film experience that when they hear their voice on an answering machine or something.

"So to have to watch myself in a way that was constructively critical was really good for me because it made me a little bit more easy on myself because I wasn't allowed to walk away screaming."

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