Mini Biography
Natalie Portman was born Natalie Hershlag on June 9, 1981 in Jerusalem, Israel to a Jewish family. She is the only child of a doctor father (from Israel) and an artist mother (from Cincinnati, Ohio), who also acts as Natalie's agent. She left Israel for Washington, D.C., when she was still very young. After a few more moves, her family finally settled in New York, where she still lives to this day. She graduated with honors, and her academic achievements allowed her to attend Harvard University. She was discovered by an agent in a pizza parlor at the age of 11. She was pushed towards a career in modeling but she decided that she would rather pursue a career in acting. She was featured in many live performances, but she made her powerful film debut in the movie Léon: The Professional (1994) (aka "Léon"). Following this role Natalie won roles in such films as Heat (1995), Beautiful Girls (1996), and Mars Attacks! (1996).
It was not until 1999 that Natalie received worldwide fame as Queen Amidala in the highly anticipated US$431 million-grossing prequel Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999). She then she starred in two critically acclaimed comedy dramas, Anywhere But Here (1999) and Where the Heart Is (2000), followed by Closer (2004/I), for which she received an Oscar nomination. She reprised her role as Padme Amidala in the last two episodes of the Star Wars prequel trilogy: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). She received an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Black Swan (2010).
Filmography
2014 Jane Got a Gun (pre-production)
Jane Hammond
2014 In the Garden of Beasts (rumored) (pre-production)
2013 Thor: The Dark World (post-production)
Jane Foster
2013 Untitled Terrence Malick Project (post-production)
2013 Knight of Cups (post-production)
2007-2012 The Simpsons (TV series)
Darcy
– Moonshine River (2012) … Darcy (voice)
– Little Big Girl (2007) … Darcy (voice)
2011 Thor
Jane Foster
2011 Your Highness
Isabel
2011/I No Strings Attached
Emma
2010 Black Swan
Nina Sayers / The Swan Queen
2010 Hesher
Nicole
2009/I Brothers
Grace Cahill
2009 The Other Woman
Emilia Greenleaf
2009 GREED, a New Fragrance by Francesco Vezzoli (short)
2009 New York, I Love You
Rifka (segment "Mira Nair)
2008 The Other Boleyn Girl
Anne Boleyn
2007 Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Molly Mahoney, the Composer
2007 Hotel Chevalier (short)
Jack's Girlfriend
2007 The Darjeeling Limited
Jack's Ex-Girlfriend
2007 My Blueberry Nights
Leslie
2006 Goya's Ghosts
Inés / Alicia
2006 Paris, je t'aime
Francine (segment "Faubourg Saint-Denis")
2005 V for Vendetta
Evey
2005 Free Zone
Rebecca
2005 Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Padmé
2005 Domino One
Dominique Bellamy
2004/I Closer
Alice
2004 True (short)
Francine
2004 Garden State
Sam
2004 Sesame Street (TV series)
Natalie
2003 Cold Mountain
Sara
2002 Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Padmé
2000 Where the Heart Is
Novalee Nation
1999 Anywhere But Here
Ann August
1999 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Queen Amidala / Padmé
1996 Mars Attacks!
Taffy Dale
1996 Everyone Says I Love You
Laura
1996 Beautiful Girls
Marty
1995 Heat
Lauren Gustafson
1994 Léon: The Professional
Mathilda
1994 Developing (short)
Nina
