Three Decades Later, Léon: The Professional Still Leaves Jean Reno and Natalie Portman's Relationship Ambiguous

In Luc Besson's 1994 cult classic Léon: The Professional, Natalie Portman's Mathilda makes a bold and controversial declaration to a hotel receptionist, who had apparently assumed she was the daughter of Jean Reno's Léon. Mathilda retorts with chilling clarity,

"He's not my father. He's my lover."

The next moment, we see them both searching for another hotel to lie low.

Léon and Mathilda develop an unlikely bond under dire circumstances, a bond that remains ambiguous and forms the core tension of Besson's Léon: The Professional. Throughout the film, there is an undercurrent of confusion regarding their equation, especially when they appear together on screen. It isn't really clear if they both reciprocated feelings as lovers at the same time.

It's really clear from Mathilda's side that she never sees Léon as a father figure or a guardian. However, Léon's reactions remain unclear, and we do not know for sure if this ambiguity is a feeling of butterflies in the stomach or a moment of embarrassment upon realizing that this little kiddo, whom he wants to save, is in love with him.

Natalie Portman's character in the film is quite clear from her side

Natalie Portman plays Mathilda in the film. (Image via Studiocanal)

From the very first moment the characters played by Jean Reno and Natalie Portman interact in the film, it is made very clear that Mathilda has developed a crush on the hitman. The way she moves and watches Léon walk towards his door indicates that it's not simply a friendly liking.

There are two moments where Mathilda's emotions gain more weight: first, when she calls Leon's name "cute"; second, when she confesses her love to Léon after he asks her to stay away from the guy he labeled a "weirdo". Both these moments made Léon spill his glass of milk.

However, the last scene almost confirms that Léon might have developed a sense of deep affection for Mathilda. The moment he is about to be separated from Mathilda, he accepts he loves her, as she has given him the taste of life.

But that still doesn't confirm the idea that Mathilda's feelings were reciprocated. Anyone close to a person, i.e., a friend, a mentor, a guardian, or anyone else, could have made Léon feel like that. So Mathilda could be any one of them to him and not necessarily a lover.

There is one confirmed relationship between the two characters

Natalie Portman's character is twelve years old in the film. (Image via StudiocanalUK)

However, lovers or not, Mathilda and Léon share one relationship that doesn't need any confirmation: it is the one between a student and a mentor.

While initially reluctant, Léon eventually agrees to train Mathilda to help her become a 'cleaner,' who is essentially a hitman. So he trains her while doing the gigs he keeps getting by allowing her to shoot guns at his targets. The catch? It's just that those guns are shooting corks or ketchup. Every time the training is completed, Léon finishes off his missions by assassinating them.

Even though the film never confirms if Léon saw himself as her guardian or a lover, he did something a true guardian would do. He leaves all his life's savings for her.