Summary

• The Social Network references Natalie Portman as a movie star at Harvard, a nod to her help with the script.
• Aaron Sorkin acknowledged Portman's assistance in capturing Harvard culture for the film.
• The accuracy of the film is debated, but Portman's insight added authenticity to the portrayal of Harvard.

David Fincher's The Social Network owes a lot to Aaron Sorkin's razor-sharp script but one piece of dialogue left audiences wondering, "Who was the movie star in The Social Network?" The film centers on Mark Zuckerberg's creation of Facebook during his time at Harvard. The film is littered with easter eggs, but one that audiences might have missed is Sorkin's nod to an A-list actress, and fellow Harvard alumnus, Natalie Portman.

The Social Network has remained firmly in film conversation over the last decade or so. This is thanks to David Fincher's heightened direction, Sorkin's subliminal script, and the incredible performances anchoring the whole production. One thing the film may not be, however, is too accurate, with many questions about its authenticity. The film does get some things right, particularly its treatment of Harvard culture. That includes writer Aaron Sorkin making sure to reference one of the school's most famous alums.

Where Natalie Portman Is Referenced In The Social Network

She Gets A Nod In A Throwaway Line

The moment when Natalie Portman gets referenced is easy to overlook since it doesn't directly use her name. instead, there is a line in The Social Network in which a character talks about how Harvard's students include:

"Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, future Olympians, and a movie star."

Whilst the bit of dialogue doesn't divulge any further information on who these aforementioned people are, it has since been revealed that the movie star being referred to was Natalie Portman. At the time of the film's release, Portman was a huge name who was starring in Black Swan, which competed with The Social Network for Best Picture at the Oscars. Portman actually won Best Actress for her performance there, making her a sought-after name in Hollywood.

Black Swan and The Social Network both ultimately lost the Best Picture award to The King's Speech.

Natalie Portman was studying for an undergraduate degree in psychology at Harvard in 2003 when the film took place. That made her a timely reference but it could also be considered odd to call her a movie star when she was in college. Anyone familiar with Portman's outstanding career knows that she was already a star by 2003, having appeared in two Star Wars movies as the brilliant Padmé Amidala among other projects.

Why Natalie Portman Got Referenced In The Social Network

It Was Something Of A Thank You By Aaron Sorkin

The Natalie Portman reference is more than just a neat piece of trivia — Aaron Sorkin referenced Natalie Portman in his script for The Social Network because she had helped him during the writing process. The film continually references the exclusivity of Harvard's clubs; this exclusivity meant that Sorkin —who had not attended Harvard — was limited in the information he could acquire for his research.

The pair discussed all sorts of stories about the culture of Harvard students.

Portman called the screenwriter when she heard of the project and met Sorkin for dinner to discuss life at Harvard. She had dated a member of the Porcellian Club, and, having been a student at the school herself, had lots of observations to offer. The pair discussed all sorts of stories about the culture of Harvard students that went on to inform a great deal of the screenplay (via Entertainment Weekly). The purpose of the line, then, was not only to ground the film with accuracy through subtle details, but it was also to acknowledge Natalie Portman's involvement in the process — Sorkin tipping his hat to her for her assistance through the film's dialogue.

The accuracy of The Social Network will be hotly contested for years to come; it may not get all the details spot-on regarding how things went down for Mark Zuckerberg, but the film certainly offers an honest look into college life and culture. The lifestyle of Harvard, in particular, seems to be quite an elite and unique one. The film benefitted from Natalie Portman's insight, and it's that subtlety and attention to detail that keeps films like this one talked about. It's no wonder Aaron Sorkin decided to reference her; without her input, the Harvard portion of the screenplay would lose the authenticity that maintains the film's relevance today.