Natalie Portman is calling out the Academy Awards.

The 44-year-old Closer actress spoke out about the nominations at the 2026 Oscars, criticizing the Academy for the lack of female directors represented in the nominees list this year.

Chloé Zhao is the only woman in the Best Director category for 2026.

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“So many of the best films I saw this year were made by women,” she said in an interview with Variety.

“You just see the barriers at every level because so many were not recognized at awards time,” she went on to explain.

“Between Sorry, Baby and Left-Handed Girl and Hedda and The Testament of Ann Lee…extraordinary films this year that I think a lot of people are enjoying and loving, but are not getting the accolades they deserve.”

Natalie‘s new movie, The Gallerist, was directed by Cathy Yan.

“She has a specificity of vision. All the work ahead of time and her precise leadership leads to the possibility of spontaneity. Balancing this very specific tone that is satirical but also true emotion in it, which is almost impossible to create, she knew how to do it and guide us to it,” she said.

See the current predictions for the Best Actor and Best Actress winners.

Find out who was nominated at this year’s Oscars.