Natalie Portman explains her decision to rewrite the classic fairytales on The Project

She’s an Oscar-winning actress and now Natalie Portman can add published author to her list of accomplishments.

The 39-year-old Thor actress recently released a book of reimagined fairytales, Natalie Portman’s Fables.

Appearing on The Project on Tuesday, Natalie explained what had inspired her to rewrite the classics.

Natalie said it was only after she welcomed her daughter, Amalia, three, that she realised ‘we needed new versions of them’.

‘I started noticing that the characters in all of these classic stories were predominantly male, and I wanted to keep the stories alive for her,’ she explained. 

‘I think they’re so wonderful and I want her to know the classics, but I also wanted her to have a reflection of the world that is more accurate.’

During the interview, host Lisa Wilkinson told Natalie that she’d ‘refused to read Cinderella to my children’ because of its sexist themes. 

‘All those kind of princess stories are really problematic…’ added Natalie, before zeroing in on Cinderella and claiming it involved ‘a massive leap in logic’. 

‘You have to fit into the shoe and only one person can fit into a shoe, but [the prince] doesn’t remember the face of the girl he was dancing with last night. Like, it also doesn’t make sense on top of being very offensive!’

Natalie announced her book on Instagram in September, revealing she’d decided to rewrite three children’s stories.

‘Can’t wait to share my children’s book with you all, Natalie Portman’s Fables – retellings of The Tortoise and the Hare, The Three Little Pigs, and Country Mouse and City Mouse,’ she wrote at the time. 

‘I love these classic stories and wanted to update them to be more reflective of the world in which we live. It’s been so fun reading the book to my kids and I look forward to hearing your experiences with your own kids!’