PARIS — Parfums Christian Dior said Monday it has inked a deal with Natalie Portman to be its new face.
The actress will join the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned brand’s star-studded cast that also includes Sharon Stone, Charlize Theron, Monica Bellucci, Jude Law and Alain Delon, plus — for Asia — Sophie Marceau and Mylène Jampanoï.
This marks the first time Portman represents a fragrance and cosmetics brand.
“We are extremely excited to have Miss Portman embody our house,” stated Claude Martinez, president and chief executive officer of Parfums Christian Dior. “She will symbolize with grace the values of luxury and the glamour of Dior.”
Which new project Portman will be involved in for the brand has not yet been divulged.
Dior’s signing on Portman comes at a time when beauty’s love affair with celebrities is still going strong. Lancôme recently added Julia Roberts to its lineup of faces, while Dolce & Gabbana has Scarlett Johannson in its makeup advertisement, to name a couple of examples.
In Portman, Dior finds an actress with strong appeal among the fashion and film cognoscenti and one, like other of the brand’s ambassadors, with a strong personality.
She both acts in and produces films. Portman has starred in more than 25 movies, including “Closer,” which won her a Golden Globe and gave her an Oscar nomination, the second “Star Wars” trilogy, “Léon,” “Anywhere But Here,” “Cold Mountain,” “Garden State” and “Brothers.”
She will next appear in Darren Aronofsky’s “Black Swan” and David Gordon Green’s “Your Highness.” Portman is in an untitled comedy by Ivan Reitman that’s in production, and she recently ended production on “Thor,” directed by Kenneth Branagh.
Portman has written and directed “Eve,” starring Lauren Bacall, Ben Gazzara and Olivia Thirlby, and a short movie for the “New York, I Love You” anthology. Her production company, Handsomecharlie Films, produces and develops movies of various genres, and it has a focus on comedies driven by women.
Portman is also involved in charitable works. Since 2004, she’s been the Ambassador of Hope for FINCA International, a village banking microfinance program.
Already known to be fashion-forward, she’s graced covers of many magazines as well as been spotted front row at some shows, such as Rodarte.
Dior is the jewel in the crown of LVMH’s fragrance and cosmetics portfolio and has a history of working with actors on ads. This March, for instance, Guy Ritchie shot the latest Dior Homme fragrance spot featuring Law. And Dior launched a campaign for Eau Sauvage featuring a vintage photograph of Delon.