Natalie Portman may be in show business, but she's definitely not into funny business.  The 28-year-old Oscar nominee tells Britain's Elle magazine she's steered clear of appearing in comedies because they don't present enough of a challenge.  She said, quote, "It wasn't that I didn't want to do comedy.  It's just that I would only get offered girlfriend parts in guy comedies, which aren't exciting to me, or those offensive roles in romantic comedies where the woman has to have a job in fashion so that she can have nice clothes, and her goal is always marriage.  I'm more interested in finding characters that make me laugh."  

Portman's most recent role was definitely a far cry from a comedy.  She starred with Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire in the drama Brothers.