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Natalie Portman

Campaigning for John Kerry in 2004

Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag on June 9, 1981) is an Israeli-American actress. 'Portman' is a stage name taken from her grandmother's maiden name. Her ethnic background is Polish-Jewish.

She was born in Jerusalem but her family soon relocated to Maryland, then Connecticut, before settling down on Long Island.

She was discovered in a pizza parlor at the age of eleven by an agent for Revlon, who wanted her to model. After being introduced to acting agents, she made her movie début at the age of twelve, playing a child who befriends a much older assassin in Luc Besson's Léon. That role began a pattern of portraying characters that are unusually smart, mature, and/or precocious for their ages.

Portman went on to charm critics and viewers alike in Beautiful Girls, and played a minor part in Everyone Says I Love You.

She is known among Star Wars fans for her role as Padmé Amidala in the prequels, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. She is one of dozens of celebrities who played themselves in a cameo appearance in the 2001 comedy Zoolander.

Portman was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in 1999 for her role as Ann August in Anywhere But Here (Angelina Jolie won that year for Girl, Interrupted). In 2005, she won the Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for her role as Alice in Closer.

Filmography

  • Léon (1994)
  • Developing (short) (1995)
  • Heat (1995)
  • Beautiful Girls (1996, directed by Ted Demme)
  • Everyone Says I Love You (1996, written and directed by Woody Allen)
  • Mars Attacks (1996, directed by Tim Burton)
  • Anywhere But Here (1999)
  • Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999)
  • Where the Heart Is (2000)
  • Zoolander (2001)
  • Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
  • Cold Mountain (2003, written and directed by Anthony Minghella)
  • Garden State (2004, written and directed by Zach Braff)
  • True (2004, directed by Tom Tykwer)
  • Closer (2004, directed by Mike Nichols)
  • Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Theatrical work

  • The Diary Of Anne Frank (1999)
  • The Seagull (2001)
Portman and Elmo on Sesame Street Portman and Big Bird at Hooper's Store

Television appearances

Portman appeared on Sesame Street and as of 2004 has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman ten times.

Personal life

Portman has been a vegetarian since she was eight years old.

Portman graduated from Harvard University in 2003 with a degree in psychology.

Portman spends some of her free time involved in causes such as financing small-scale women's projects in Africa and the Democrats' 2004 U.S. presidential campaign.

Portman was interviewed for the August 2004 issue of Allure magazine; in that article, she was quoted as saying "Oh my God! I'm not black, but I know what it feels like!" This prompted her to follow up with a letter to their editor:

I am writing to offer my most sincere apologies for not being as articulate as I could have been regarding my thoughts on W. E. B. DuBois’s The Souls of Black Folk. My lack of eloquence, combined with my words being taken out of context, led to the printing of a statement of mine that I found personally offensive.

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Portman was interviewed for the August 2004 issue of Allure magazine; in that article, she was quoted as saying "Oh my God! I'm not black, but I know what it feels like!" This prompted her to follow up with a letter to their editor:. Beginning in 2003 she had a recurring role on the television series, Alias. presidential campaign. Her autobiography, Some of Me, was published in 1997. Portman spends some of her free time involved in causes such as financing small-scale women's projects in Africa and the Democrats' 2004 U.S. She was briefly (1979-1983) married to director Martin Scorsese and was also romantically linked to David Lynch for many years. Portman graduated from Harvard University in 2003 with a degree in psychology. Even though she closely resembles her mother, Rossellini has surprisingly never been cast as Ingrid Bergman in any film, although she did perform a parody of Bergman's character Ilsa Lund from Casablanca in an episode of Tales from the Crypt.

Portman has been a vegetarian since she was eight years old. Other roles include Cousins a Hollywood remake of the French film Cousin, Cousine, and Nimue in the 1998 mini-series, Merlin opposite Sam Neill, Helena Bonham Carter, John Gielgud, Rutger Hauer, James Earl Jones, Martin Short and Miranda Richardson. Portman appeared on Sesame Street and as of 2004 has appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman ten times. She is probably best known for her role as Dorothy Vallens in David Lynch's Blue Velvet. She later took a part in Wild at Heart by the same director. In 2005, she won the Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe for her role as Alice in Closer. Isabella Rossellini, born in Rome on June 18, 1952, is a model and an actress, daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini. Portman was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in 1999 for her role as Ann August in Anywhere But Here (Angelina Jolie won that year for Girl, Interrupted). The Saddest Music in the World (2003).

She is one of dozens of celebrities who played themselves in a cameo appearance in the 2001 comedy Zoolander. Wyatt Earp (1994). She is known among Star Wars fans for her role as Padmé Amidala in the prequels, The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Fearless (1993). Portman went on to charm critics and viewers alike in Beautiful Girls, and played a minor part in Everyone Says I Love You. Death Becomes Her (1992). That role began a pattern of portraying characters that are unusually smart, mature, and/or precocious for their ages. Wild at Heart (1990).

After being introduced to acting agents, she made her movie début at the age of twelve, playing a child who befriends a much older assassin in Luc Besson's Léon. Cousins (1989). She was discovered in a pizza parlor at the age of eleven by an agent for Revlon, who wanted her to model. Blue Velvet (1986). She was born in Jerusalem but her family soon relocated to Maryland, then Connecticut, before settling down on Long Island. Her ethnic background is Polish-Jewish.

'Portman' is a stage name taken from her grandmother's maiden name. Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag on June 9, 1981) is an Israeli-American actress. The Seagull (2001). The Diary Of Anne Frank (1999).

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005). Closer (2004, directed by Mike Nichols). True (2004, directed by Tom Tykwer). Garden State (2004, written and directed by Zach Braff).

Cold Mountain (2003, written and directed by Anthony Minghella). Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002). Zoolander (2001). Where the Heart Is (2000).

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999). Anywhere But Here (1999). Mars Attacks (1996, directed by Tim Burton). Everyone Says I Love You (1996, written and directed by Woody Allen).

Beautiful Girls (1996, directed by Ted Demme). Heat (1995). Developing (short) (1995). Léon (1994).