Natalie Portman Picks Her All-Time Favorite Studio Ghibli Classic

Natalie Portman was at the Toronto International Film Festival to promote Arco, an animated film directed by French artist Ugo Bienvenu. Portman is one of the producers and also voices a role in the English dub.

Arco follows a boy named Arco, who is only 10 years old but is eager to try time travel before he’s old enough. His choice takes him to the year 2075, where climate disasters have reshaped the Earth.

People now live inside domes, and androids handle most of the work to keep them alive. In this strange future, Arco meets a girl named Iris, and together they face dangers from nature while trying to get him home. The story adds a magical twist to time travel, imagining rainbows as travelers from the future carrying lost knowledge.

The English cast of the movie includes several well-known names, such as Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Andy Samberg, Flea, Mark Ruffalo, and Portman herself.

During an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub at the festival, Portman was asked about her favorite Studio Ghibli film. She replied: “I think probably Spirited Away.”

Spirited Away, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, was released in 2001. The movie follows a girl named Chihiro who ends up in a spirit world after her parents are turned into pigs. It became one of the most successful Japanese animated films of all time, winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and earning international acclaim.

At the same interview, Portman also talked about her past career moments, including her well-known comedy sketch on Saturday Night Live. She mentioned upcoming projects too, such as The Gallerist with Jenna Ortega and Lena Dunham’s show Good Sex.

I think it’s great to see Natalie Portman supporting a unique film like Arco, which uses sci-fi and fantasy to talk about real issues like climate change. Her choice of Spirited Away as a favorite doesn’t come as a surprise, it’s one of the most loved animated films worldwide. What about you? Do you agree with her pick, or do you have another Studio Ghibli favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments.