Natalie to retire? Send her an AARP card!

Last week we “reported” (and by that I mean we “re-reported” since this is the nature of blogging) that Natalie Portman was considering taking the lead role in Adaline, which is about a woman stops aging after a freak accident. This part would’ve had her playing mom to Angela Lansbury. I was super stoked. Had my Murder She Wrote fan fiction at the ready and everything.

Now come the “re-reports” that she has turned down the part, which is sad. Frankly, it would’ve upped Portman’s cool quotient by a lot. And she needs it — have you seen Thor and No Strings Attached?

The reason she has backed out of Adaline — she plans to emulate Audrey Hepburn and look after her family.

Back in May, she told The Sun‘s Buzz Magazine “Audrey made some good choices in life… More and more I realize how unimportant it is to be in the history books or anything like that. Putting time and energy into your children – that’s valuable.”

Now while it is totally understandable for Ms. Portman to want to spend time with her newborn child, I truly hope that she returns to film in some capacity, and not because I’ma big fan. (I’m not.)

While it is undeniable that one’s children are a top priority, there are still other things that have significant value in life, including the career she has carefully built since she was a kid. Perhaps she feels that she’s accomplished all that she can in the industry after winning the Oscar for Best Actress this past winter, but most people don’t go to work every day in order to get their names into the history books. Reasons of income aside, folks work because they want to be out in the world and pursue a passion. Those things, like rearing one’s children, also have value.

So come back Natalie, not for the history books but for the work itself. And for the pretty dresses.