Bald Natalie Portman Pulled Over  2/24/06

Actress Natalie Portman was mistaken for a criminal recently in New York City because of her shaven head.

The Star Wars star - who shed her raven locks for her freedom fighter role in V For Vendetta - was forced to take an alternate route after she was discovered driving a vehicle with outdated license plates during a routine traffic stop.

She says, "The other night I got pulled over at the Midtown Tunnel in New York. I've never had that happen to me before. It's supposedly random.

"My registration was expired because I had been out of town, and it was my first day back. They wouldn't let me go in.

"But the guy who stopped me said to take the bridge instead. And I didn't understand the logic in that. If you're a suspect, don't take the tunnel, take the bridge."

Portman admits she had to accessorize carefully while bald and was often mistaken for a "troublemaker", despite her diminutive stature.

She explains, "I feel like I have to dress differently. There are tips that people have given me - like not to wear earrings because I look like a baby.

"I was in Ireland and stopped at a bed and breakfast and the people were scared because I looked like a troublemaker. I'm a 5 foot, miniature girl and I've never had that reaction before. You sort of overcompensate and try to be sweet but they think you're even more of a psycho."