Biographic - Sunday December 5, 2010 Comic Strip Licensing and Permissions

Transcript

She speaks five languages, has a psychology degree from Harvard, took graduate courses at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was the youngest-ever juror at the Cannes Film Festival, and is an ambassador for a foundation that assists women in teh third world. She's alone one of the most talented young movie actresses of her generation... Natalie Portman was born Natalie Hershalag in Jerusalem, Israel, on June 9, 1981, raised on Long Island, New York, she became interested in acting after spending summers at performing arts camps. She was an understudy for the lead in an off-broadway show called "Ruthless" alongside another ambitious young hopeful named Britney Spears. Natalie was catapulted to stardom when she was cast as 12-year-old orphan Mathilda, opposite Jean Reno in 1994's "Leon" aka "The Professional" her performance attracted rave reviews, leading to starring roles in movies such as "Heat" "Beautiful Girls" and "Mars Attacks!" but she was also very picky about the parts she accepted, turning down leads in "The Ice Storm" "Lolita" ends "The Horse Whisperer" she also famously turned down Romeo + Juliet" citing the age difference between her and the leading man, Leonardo DiCaprio. In 1999, the same year that she graduated from High school with honors, Natalie starred as Queen Amidala in "Star Wars: Episode 1- The Phantom Menace." She missed the movie's New York premiere to study for her final exams, so it was of little surprise when she announced that her movie career would have to be scale back while she studied psychology at Harvard. She found time to appear in "Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones" and spent a summer starring in a production of Chekhov's "The Seagull" in New York's Central Park. She graduated in 2003 and was soon back on the big screen in "Cold Mountain" and "Garden State" her performance in 2004's "Closer" earned her an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe award. Following "Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of The Sith" she famously shaved her head for 2006's "V For Vendetta" subsequent projects have included "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium" "The Other Boleyn Girl," the acclaimed "Brothers" and the controversial "Black Swan" But she has also found time to voice a character on "The Simpsons" and appear in a Paul McCartney video.

Tags