In 2006, Natalie Portman starred in a movie she now partly regrets, set against the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition. The film, "Goya's Ghosts," is one of the darker entries in her filmography.
The story revolves around the renowned Spanish painter Francisco Goya and unfolds during the harrowing era of the Spanish Inquisition. The narrative delves into the genesis of some of Goya's most chilling artworks, which vividly depict the torment suffered by innocents during this tumultuous period in history. Particularly noteworthy are the gruesome depictions of the brutal subjugation of the Spanish people by Napoleon's forces between 1819 and 1823.
The film primarily follows Goya, portrayed by Stellan Skarsgard, who becomes entangled in a sc--dal when his teenage muse, played by Natalie Portman, faces accusations of heresy from a prominent member of the Inquisition, Brother Lorenzo, played by Javier Bardem.
In one of the most grueling sequences in the film, Brother Lorenzo subjects Inés, portrayed by Natalie Portman, to an excruciating torture method known as the "garrucha" (trappado). This practice involved suspending the victim's body in the air with tied hands, often resulting in the dislocation of their arms. The scene is deeply distressing to watch, as Portman's character is compelled to disrobe entirely. Upon the film's release, Portman clarified in multiple interviews that a body double had been used for this particular scene, emphatically asserting that she did not appear N-.
Portman expressed her frustration at the situation, not so much for her participation in "Goya's Ghosts" but for the falsehoods that circulated. She explained her concern over the misuse of such dramatic scenes for inappropriate purposes, saying, "It's disheartening when a piece of storytelling gets exploited for other ends." In essence, her remorse stemmed from the fact that a crucial part of the narrative had been misrepresented and utilized inappropriately.
