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Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman most recently received her second Academy Award nomination and first Best Actress win for her performance in Darren Aronofsky's critically acclaimed film, Black Swan. For her role, Portman also received a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, a Screen Actors Guild Award and Critics' Choice Movie Award.

This summer, she will appear in Kenneth Branagh's Thor portraying Jane Foster, Thor's love interest. The Marvel Studios film is slated for release on May 20, 2011. Following that, she will be seen in Spencer Susser's Hesher, starring Joseph GordonLevitt and Rainn Wilson. The film, which Portman also produced, is slated for release on May 13, 2011 by Wrekin Hill Entertainment/Newmarket Films.

On screen, Portman has starred in more than 25 films. She made her debut in Luc Besson's The Professional, and went on to star in Heat, Beautiful Girls, Everyone Says I Love You, Mars Attacks!, Anywhere But Here (for which she received a Golden Globe nomination), Where the Heart Is, Cold Mountain, Garden State, Closer (for which she received an Academy Award nomination and won a Golden Globe Award), Free Zone, V for Vendetta, Paris, Je T'aime, Goya's Ghosts, My Blueberry Nights, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, The Other Boleyn Girl, New York, I Love You, Brothers and No Strings Attached. Additionally, she starred in George Lucas' Star Wars: Episode 1—The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II—Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith. The prequels to the wildly popular Star Wars trilogy of the '70s and '80s rank among the top-grossing films ever produced worldwide.

On stage, Portman starred in Mike Nichols' Shakespeare in the Park production of The Seagull, opposite Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and James Lapine's Broadway production of The Diary of Anne Frank.

Behind the lens, Portman has taken turns writing, directing and producing. Her credits include Eve, which she wrote and directed, and tells the story of a young woman who ends up on her grandmother's date. The film debuted at the 2008 Venice International Film Festival and stars Lauren Bacall, Ben Gazzara and Olivia Thirlby. She also wrote and directed a short film for New York, I Love You, about a day in the life of a father and daughter in Central Park. The film, released in October 2009, showcased 12 filmmakers who each directed a vignette illustrating the universal theme of love within the five boroughs of New York City. Additionally, she executive produced and starred in Don Roos' adaptation of Ayelet Waldman's novel Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, opposite Scott Cohen and Charlie Tahan. The film revolves around a young woman who tries to recover her marriage through her relationship with her stepson.

Portman is currently developing film projects through her production company, Handsomecharlie Films. Together with producer Annette Savitch, the company is focused on finding intelligent, accessible films across varied genres, as well as femaledriven comedies. Upcoming projects include the film adaptation of The New York Times best-selling novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, which is set up at Lionsgate and written by David O. Russell. Handsomecharlie Films is also partnered with Plan B Productions at Paramount Pictures to produce Important Artifacts and Personal Property, based on the book by Leanne Shapton, with Brad Pitt and Portman attached to star. Greg Mottola is writing the script for the film. Handsomecharlie's completed films include No Strings Attached, starring Portman and Ashton Kutcher and directed by Ivan Reitman, and Hesher.

Portman became the first Ambassador of Hope for FINCA, an international village banking microfinance program that provides small loans and savings programs to the world's poorest families so they may create their own jobs, raise household incomes and improve their standard of living, thereby reducing poverty worldwide. As the Ambassador of Hope, Portman has proven to be a globally aware and dedicated individual who supports the work of FINCA through her advocacy and visits FINCA international programs in countries such as Guatemala, Ecuador and Uganda. She has also met with high-level United States members of congress to lobby for support of international microfinance funding.

A Harvard graduate with a degree in psychology, Portman has also studied at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where she learned Arabic and Hebrew and studied the anthropology of violence and Israeli history.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2011.
Read earlier biographies on this page.

Natalie Portman Facts

Birth NameNatalie Hershlag
OccupationActress
BirthdayJune 9, 1981 (42)
SignGemini
BirthplaceJerusalem, Israel
Height5' 3" (1m60)  How tall is Natalie Portman compared to you?
Awards2011 Academy Awards: Best Actress (for Black Swan)
2011 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama (for Black Swan)
2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Best Female Actor in a Leading Role (for Black Swan)
2011 BAFTA Awards: Actress in a Leading Role (for Black Swan)
2005 Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Motion Picture (for Closer)

Selected Filmography

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) as Padmé Amidala
Closer (2004) as Alice
Garden State (2004) user recommendation as Sam
Cold Mountain (2003) as Sara
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) as Padmé Amidala
Anywhere But Here (2000) as Ann August
Where the Heart Is (2000) as Novalee Nation
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) as Padmé Amidala
Beautiful Girls (1996) as Marty
Everyone Says I Love You (1996) as Laura Dandridge
Mars Attacks! (1996) as Taffy Dale
Heat (1995) as Lauren Gustafson
Léon (The Professional) (1994) as Mathilda (breakthrough)
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