To take back control of her body, Portman decided to take roles that strayed from any sexual content, not even kissing. She wore clothes that covered up her body both onscreen and off. She explained it was a way to "send my own message to the world that I'm someone worthy of safety and respect." She built a reputation that stressed how "bookish and serious" she was, which resulted in her earning a reputation for being "prudish, conservative, nerdy, serious."