No Strings Attached (2011)
- Before Natalie Portman was cast, several major A-list stars turned down the lead role because they felt the script was too risky.
- During the filming of No Strings Attached, Natalie Portman improvised one of the most famous lines in the movie.
- The original script for No Strings Attached was written over a decade before production finally began in 2011.
No Strings Attached is a 2011 American romantic comedy directed by Ivan Reitman. Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher star as Emma and Adam, two acquaintances who agree to a purely sexual relationship with no emotional commitment โ no dates, no cuddling, no jealousy, no love. The comedy derives from the inevitability of their feelings developing despite the rules, as Adam falls first while the emotionally guarded Emma, a medical resident whose demanding schedule made her want a no-maintenance arrangement, resists admitting she cares.
Natalie Portman, who was simultaneously filming Black Swan, brought unexpected depth to Emma's emotional walls, making the character's fear of vulnerability feel genuine rather than formulaic. The supporting cast, including Kevin Kline as Adam's embarrassingly flamboyant father and Greta Gerwig as one of Emma's roommates, added comic texture. No Strings Attached earned $149 million worldwide on a $25 million budget.
