Natalie Portman Stars in Boyfriend Banhart's "Carmensita" Video

If the relationship between actress Natalie Portman and singer Devendra Banhart wasn't disconcerting enough, the indie couple now appear in Banhart's new video for "Carmensita." Despite the Spanish title and lyrics, the video takes the Bollywood route. Banhart stars as a "rebellious beard" who must fight an overweight king to win back his love, curiously played by Portman. Like any video that riffs on Bollywood, there's fun with subtitles and horrendous dancing. It's not V for Vendetta, or even Michel Gondry's video for Paul McCartney's "Dance Tonight" for that matter, but we'll pretty much watch anything starring Portman. Check out "Carmensita" here.

• 
  MUSIC The Top 25 Teen Idol Breakout Moments
• 
  MOVIES & TV 'Game of Thrones': The Show Vs. the Books
• 
  POLITICS Matt Taibbi: Facebook IPO vs. Shareholders
• 
  VIDEOS Exclusive: Garbage Rip Through 'I Think I'm Paranoid'

Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter