Natalie Portman: 'Kenneth Branagh made me want Thor role'

Natalie Portman says she decided to sign on for a role in Thor when she found out Oscar-winner Kenneth Branagh was helming the project.

The Black Swan star has admitted she was not going to audition for the role until she found out the British actor and director was involved.

"It was actually not something I was dying to do. Not Thor in particular, but a big movie. When I heard Ken was doing it, I said, 'Wow, that is a daring and interesting idea," she told Total Film.

"Then I met Ken and he was someone I was extremely interested to get to spend three months with. It was probably the first, or one of the first times that my expectations were actually exceeded," The Express reports her saying.

The 29-year-old actress plays Jane Foster in the Marvel comics flick alongside Anthony Hopkins and Idris Elba.