An actress with talent and poise beyond her years, NATALIE
PORTMAN has made a name for herself as one of Hollywood's most
talented and sought-after young actresses.
Born in Jerusalem on June 9, 1981, to an artist mother and doctor
father, Portman moved to New York when she was three. Raised on
Long Island, she was discovered by a modeling agent who signed her
on the spot. Her modeling stint led to an audition for Luc Besson's
"Leon" (or "The Professional," as it was called in the United
States). Initially turned down due to her age, Portman ultimately
won the part and received international acclaim for her 1994
feature debut. Starring opposite Jean Reno and Gary Oldman, Portman
played Mathilda, a young girl who seeks refuge from a hitman after
her parents are killed by a corrupt DEA officer. Her performance
was hailed by critics and she received a "Best Actress in a Drama"
for The Hollywood Reporter-sponsored YoungStar Awards.
Portman then portrayed the role of Al Pacino's suicidal
step-daughter in Michael Mann's 1995 film "Heat." A year later,
she received critical acclaim for her scene-stealing performance
in the Miramax film "Beautiful Girls." For her performance as
Marty, the precocious teen who nearly steals a much older Timothy
Hutton away from his fiancée, Portman received adulation from a
host of critics, some of whom stated that she was the best part of
the whole movie.
Other feature credits include Woody Allen's musical "Everyone
Says I Love You," co-starring Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn, Alan
Alda and Drew Barrymore and Tim Burton's black comedy "Mars
Attacks!" with Jack Nicholson, Sarah Jessica Parker and Glenn
Close. Despite the triumph in casting, the film was a critical and
financial disappointment.
After lending her voice to 1998's animated hit "The Prince of
Egypt," Portman starred with Susan Sarandon in Wayne Wang's
"Anywhere But Here" for Fox 2000 Pictures. Adapted from Mona
Simpson's novel by Academy Award-winner Alvin Sargent ("Ordinary
People"), "Anywhere But Here" tells the story of a mother and
daughter who must come to terms with their volatile relationship
in the midst of a move from the Midwest to Beverly Hills.
In 1997, Portman would become involved in a major movie that would
make her an international star--George Lucas'
"Star Wars -
Episode I: The Phantom Menace." She portrayed Queen Amidala--
the future mother of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa--
a brave young ruler whose planet comes under attack. The
anticipated film, which was released in 1999, opened to box-office
records, finally grossing over $400 million domestically.
After "Star Wars," Portman starred in her first leading role as a
single mother in the drama "Where the Heart Is" costarring Ashley
Judd, Joan Cusack and Stockard Channing. She also had a cameo
in Ben Stiller's comedy "Zoolander."
In May 2002, Portman was seen in
"Star Wars -
Episode II: Attack of the Clones," in which she reprises her
role as Padmé Amidala, who is now a senator for Naboo. As expected,
the film was a box-office success.
Portman made her Broadway debut run in the title
role of "The Diary of Anne Frank." Directed by James Lapine and
adapted by Wendy Kesselman, the production took a fresh look at
the play, incorporating new material from The 1995 Definitive
Edition of Anne Frank's diaries.
![[Natalie Portman]](natalie.jpg)