Natalie Portman, the accomplished Oscar-winner who embarked on her cinematic journey at the age of 12 in Luc Besson’s “Léon: The Professional,” now fervently argues against children entering the complex world of Hollywood at such tender ages.

In a recent interview with Variety, the 42-year-old actress shared her reservations about young talents stepping into the demanding industry, emphasizing that she does not encourage it, especially during childhood. Reflecting on her own early start, Portman acknowledges that her positive experience was largely due to the watchful eyes of her overprotective and supportive parents.

While she doesn’t regret her foray into acting as a pre-teen, Portman contends that it was more of a fortunate circumstance rather than a universally applicable norm. "I feel it was almost an accident of luck that I was not harmed, also combined with very overprotective, wonderful parents,” she explained, adding, "You don’t like it when you’re a kid, and you’re grateful for it when you’re an adult."

Portman, now a mother of two, Aleph (12) and Amalia (6), firmly declares her belief that children should not be working, asserting, "I think kids should play and go to school."