Thor: The Dark World's Natalie Portman Rejects Rumors She Didn't Want to Return

In a wide-ranging interview with Marie Claire, actress Natalie Portman spoke only very briefly about her starring role as Jane Foster in the upcoming Marvel Studios sequel Thor: The Dark World--but what she did have to say was a rejection of months-old rumors that she tried to get out of the picture. "No," Portman told the magazine when . "Chris is, like, one of the greatest people in Hollywood. He's the kind of actor who's so charismatic, he must be tired when he goes home."

That sounds like somebody who doesn't have much interest in entertaining the question of her supposed conflict with Marvel, with whom it's reported she's signed for at least one more movie. She's since said things like how nice it might be to have super powers in a future film and teamed with Marvel on an apprenticeship program for girls interested in science and math ("I'd rather be smart than a movie star" is arguably a quote that will follow the Harvard grad and Oscar nominee for the rest of her life, or at least until she's too old for people to think it's wise). It is, however, a flat-out denial instead of the evasion that the press has gotten used to when Portman is asked about the subject. It almost certainly won't close the book on the question, but it should change the conversation somewhat.