Natalie Portman is going glam. In Vox Lux, the upcoming music drama making its debut at the Venice Film Festival on September 4, the Oscar-winning actress plays Celeste, a pop phoenix who climbs from tragedy to worldwide stardom. The film, directed by Brady Corbet, follows her journey over the course of 18 years, from 1999 to 2017. In an exclusive first look from the film, above, watch as Portman struts backstage in a glittery, feathery ensemble, her hair swept in a thick silver updo. In the background, throngs of fans can be heard screaming, lending the clip an otherworldly effect; shes a Black Swan turned pop alien, en route to legions of howling followers.
The film kicks off by introducing viewers to Celeste in her teen years, where the character is played by Raffey Cassidy, late of The Killing of a Sacred Deer. After surviving a violent tragedy, she performs at a memorial service, which soon kicks off her pop career. As Celeste climbs the ladder, shes aided along by her songwriter sister (Stacy Martin) and talent manager (Jude Law, which makes Vox Lux a Closer reunion!), eventually rising to American icon status. But by 2017, when we meet adult Celeste (Portman), shes an embattled, scandalized star trying to stage a comeback with her sixth album, a sci-fi-inspired collection of songs titled Vox Lux. The film features original songs by Sia, one of the most effortless pop stars of our time, and an original score by Scott Walker, the experimental legend whose work has spanned various genres.
In a statement to the Venice Film Fest, Corbet explained that the films timeline and the way it explores how the past affects the present was inspired by his debut feature, The Childhood of a Leader. “Vox Lux is the continuation of that theme but on the other side of the century: a historical melodrama set in America between 1999 and 2017,” he said. Vox Lux does not yet have a set release date—but after taking Venice, it will make its way to the Toronto International Film Festival. Awards-season prognosticators, get your pens ready.
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Yohana DestaYohana Desta is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com.
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