Who Is Natalie Portman?
Born in Israel in 1981, actress Natalie Portman grew up on Long Island, New York, and began modeling at age 11. Her film debut was in The Professional (1994), and she was cast as Queen Amidala in the Star Wars prequels. While continuing her career, Portman earned a degree in psychology from Harvard University. She won the 2010 Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of a troubled ballerina in Black Swan, before debuting in Marvel’s Thor franchise the following year. In 2012, she married dancer Benjamin Millepied, with whom she has two children.
Early Life
Natalie Portman was born on June 9, 1981, in Jerusalem, Israel. While she was a toddler, Portman’s parents immigrated to the United States. They first lived in Washington D.C., and then settled in Long Island, New York, where Natalie attended Syosset High School.
While at a local pizza parlor, Portman was discovered by a representative of Revlon cosmetics, who encouraged the 11-year-old to pursue a modeling career. However, Portman found modeling mundane and decided to direct her efforts toward acting. Shortly after, she began working with the Usdan Theatre Arts Camp, where she appeared in a number of local productions.
Films
‘The Professional,’ ‘Heat’
Portman made her film debut in Luc Besson’s memorable 1994 feature, The Professional. The demanding role, which featured her as a hitman’s apprentice, caught the attention of critics and audiences. The following year, her fame grew with a brief but captivating performance as Al Pacino’s troubled daughter in Heat (1995).
‘Beautiful Girls,’ ‘Everyone Says I Love You,’ ‘Mars Attacks!’
In her subsequent film projects, Portman held her own alongside Hollywood’s A-list actors and directors. Ted Demme’s heartwarming film Beautiful Girls (1996) featured Portman in a pivotal role as a coming-of-age pre-teen. She was noted for her charming performance, opposite an impressive cast, including Matt Dillon, Timothy Hutton, Uma Thurman, and Lauren Holly. Later that year, she took on lighter parts in Woody Allen’s musical Everyone Says I Love You, with Drew Barrymore and Julia Roberts; and in Tim Burton’s sci-fi comedy Mars Attacks!, with Jack Nicholson and Glenn Close.
Sabbatical: ‘The Diary of Anne Frank’ and Harvard
After turning down the controversial role of Lolita, Portman took a brief sabbatical from the big screen. In 1997, she spent a year on Broadway in the title role of The Diary of Anne Frank. The play was a critical success, and Portman was credited with delivering a fresh interpretation of Anne Frank’s character. The actress later began attending Harvard University, graduating with honors in June 2003.
Playing Queen Amidala in ‘Star Wars’
Portman returned to film in 1999, gaining international recognition for playing Queen Amidala in George Lucas’ eagerly anticipated prequel Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace. Portman reprised the role in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). Meanwhile, she was cast opposite Susan Sarandon in the film version of Mona Simpson’s novel Anwhere But Here (1999), and took on a more mature role for Where the Heart Is (2000), in which her character ages five years during the course of the film.
‘Garden State,’ ‘Closer,’ ‘V for Vendetta,’ ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’
In 2004, Portman starred in the romantic comedy Garden State and delivered a Golden Globe-winning performance in Closer, directed by Mike Nichols and co-starring Clive Owen, Roberts and Jude Law. Portman also won critical praise for her role in 2006’s dystopian fantasy V for Vendetta. In 2008, she starred in historical drama The Other Boleyn Girl alongside Scarlett Johansson.
