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Film star Natalie Portman told the British Arabic newspaper Al Quds Al-Arabi that she thinks Israel’s nation-state law is “racist.”

“I do not agree with it,” Portman said, adding, “I only hope that we will be able to truly love our neighbors and that we can work together.”

Agree? Disagree? It’s all legitimate. But heed:

This is your regular reminder that the cost of having likable Jewish film stars is that some of them might be hyper-educated, well-read thinkers who are capable of dissecting national policy.

Natalie Portman is entitled to her opinions — and her right to speak up.

In the case of Portman, we have an Israeli-born Hebrew speaker who has cultivated a relationship with the country her entire life. She is a dual-citizen with Israel and the United States, and studied in a graduate program at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In [an interview she gave while promoting her upcoming movie “Vox Lux,” Portman called the law, passed by the Israeli parliament this summer, “a mistake.” The controversial law states that Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, and that “the fulfillment of the right of self-determination in the State of Israel is unique to the Jewish people.” It calls the “unified city of Jerusalem” the capital of Israel, and says that Hebrew is the national language of the country (while Arabic has “special status,”) and reaffirms the right of return for Jewish people to Israel. It also notes that “The state views Jewish settlement as a national value and will labor to encourage and promote its establishment and development.”

Critics, like Portman, say that this law disenfranchises Israeli Arabs and Palestinians, and is anti-democratic. Supporters say that the law simply codifies what was already true and accepted concerning Israel. Either way, having a makeup artist on call doesn’t disqualify anyone from having an opinion.

The Harvard-educated Portman has spent ample time in Israel throughout her life and consistently makes her Israeli identity a focus in interviews. She has spoken excessively about her love of Israel and made it expressly clear that she is critical of some governmental policies and politicians, not Israel itself. In 2014, she adapted beloved Israeli writer Amos Oz’s book “A Tale Of Love And Darkness” into a movie which she starred in, directed, produced personally. It was shot in Israel, in Hebrew, and concerned the birth of the country in 1948.

In April, Portman courted massive controversy when she refused to accept the Israeli Genesis Prize, saying, “I did not want to appear as endorsing Benjamin Netanyahu, who was to be giving a speech at the ceremony.” She added that she is not a supporter of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. The prevailing criticism was that Portman should “stay in her lane” and “stick to acting.” One imagines that if she’d accepted the Israeli award alongside the country’s Prime Minister, she would not have been told to “quit it with the politics.”

Natalie Portman: proof a person can reasonably form an opinion on Israeli policies, even if that person anchored the worst-ever “Star Wars” movies.

Jenny Singer is the deputy lifestyle editor for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny

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On Thursdays in the winter, all we want is half-a-dozen golden retriever puppies, a bowl of warm drinking chocolate, and human rights and a social safety net for all.

But until those things can arrive, this video of “Hamilton” creator and “Moana” composer Lin Manuel Miranda joining Jewish comic Billy Eichner to hug random New Yorkers will be enough. This is truly the most likable men have ever been.

Miranda and Eichner dropped their “Billy On The Street” collaboration on Thursday morning and it is truly the closest we can come to seeing God in our midst. Watch it if you like: joy, warmth, love, nodding, hugs, New York, peace on earth, and the glory of creation.

Best line: “Speaking of Vietnam, he’s in ‘Marry Poppins Returns.’”

Jenny Singer is the deputy lifestyle editor for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny

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Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman said that Israel’s nation-state law is “racist” and a “mistake” that she does not agree with it an interview she gave to London-based Arabic daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi, published Thursday.

In the interview, which marked the release of her new film, “Vox Lux,” Portman explained that the law is a political decision that impacts the lives of many people, adding that she hopes to be part of the change that can improve Israel’s relationship with its neighbors. Portman also criticized President Trump.

Israel’s controversial nation-state law, which the Knesset passed in July, states that “Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people,” which has exclusive right to self-determination in the country. It defines Hebrew as the country’s sole official language, designating Arabic as a language with special status, although adding that Arabic’s status would not be harmed in practice.

Critics of the nation-state legislation, which, as a Basic Law, bears constitutional weight, object in part to the fact that it does not include a provision stating that all Israeli citizens are equal under the law.

This isn’t the first time the Hollywood actress criticized Israel. Portman, who was born in Israel but moved to the United States with her family when she was young, sparked a scandal when she announced in April that she would not come to Israel to accept the Genesis Prize (a $1 million award given annually to Jewish people who have attained recognition and excellence in their fields). “Recent events in Israel have been extremely distressing to her and she does not feel comfortable participating in any public events in Israel,” her representative said at the time.

Portman has said that she does not support the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement. In 2009, Portman joined other Hollywood stars in protesting calls for a boycott against the Toronto International Film Festival for its staging of a Tel Aviv-themed event. She also directed and starred in a Hebrew-language adaptation of Israeli novelist Amos Oz’s memoir, “A Tale of Love and Darkness.”

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Iconic among icons, the “I Heart New York” logo was designed by an artist by the name of Milton Glaser in 1976, apparently scribbled on the back of an envelope during a cab ride. Now the 89-year-old’s design has been appropriated to lure a new kind of lover to New York — Amazon.

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An 81-page document, co-authored by the offices of New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, show that the city’s bid to become the second headquarters for the massive corporation went far beyond offering billions in tax benefits. The letter, which swoons that the city is “where the future comes to rehearse, where the best come to get better,” opens with a reconfiguring of Glaser’s iconic New York symbol, with an orange Amazon arrow in place of the classic heart.

Nobody asked Glazer. And nobody had to.

Glaser, whose design was inspired by Robert Indiana’s famous “love” sculpture, donated his time to the city’s tourism campaign, receiving a $2,000 honorarium, and now owns no rights to the image, which generates an estimated $30 million every year, including $1 million for the state of New York.

“In this particular case, the Amazon logo is not very harmonious with the rest of the logo,” the artist said in a statement.

The icon-maker, also known for designs he made for Bob Dylan as well as “Angels In America,” Glaser told the New York Times in 2016, “You can’t have this much development, and the consequential eviction of hundreds of thousands of people who will have no place to live. There’s some fundamental misjudgment about the balance between ordinary people and people who make enormous amounts of money.” The octogenarian grew up in a worker’s cooperative in the Bronx, the son of Hungarian-Jewish immigrants.

“The character of New York is so intrinsically Jewish,” he told the Times.

Jenny Singer is the deputy lifestyle editor for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny

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Dear Roman Banks,

Today is going to be a good day. And here’s why: because today, today you’re you, and you’re making Broadway history.

20-year-old Roman Banks only made his professional acting debut a few months ago, but today he’ll be the first actor who is a person of color to play the title role in the blockbuster musical “Dear Evan Hansen” on Broadway, Broadway World reports.

The Tony winning box office smash musical, improbably about anxiety, depression, and suicide among tech-inundated teens, originally starred Ben Platt in the title role. Banks understudies Evan Hansen, currently portrayed by actor Taylor Trensch, as well as two other characters in the Broadway production. When he was cast, Banks, who had previously tweeted Platt asking “if there could ever be a black Evan Hansen on Broadway” told a reporter for his college, Shenandoah University, “I’ve gotten endless amounts of messages from people of color, both young and old, telling me how much it means to them that I’ll be playing the role. The show is gaining new fans out of their desire to see a person of color portray the iconic character.” Today, his dream will be fully realized.

“Dear Evan Hansen” was written by Jewish playwright Steven Levenson and half-Jewish songwriting team Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and the character of Evan Hansen himself is Jewish, too. Seeing a black actor as the star of one of the biggest shows on Broadway is something. Seeing a black actor starring in one of the biggest shows on Broadway as an expressly Jewish character is even better.

As Banks told Shenandoah University, “People who had given up their dreams, due to the hardships that actors of color face, have been inspired again to pursue them. Fans who have already seen the show now want to come back and see it once more. It fills my heart with love and hope. I feel so blessed to have been chosen for such a special thing during such a difficult time for people of color in this country. It makes me want to do my best so that I can pave the way for those who wish to follow in my footsteps.”

Mazal tov, Roman!

Jenny Singer is the deputy lifestyle editor for the Forward. You can reach her at Singer@forward.com or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny