Childhood

Natalie Portman was born on 9th June 1981, in Jerusalem, Israel, as the only child of a doctor father and an artist mother, who also acts as Natalie's agent.

As a toddler Natalie immigrated to the United States with her parents at the tender age of three and then on to Connecticut when she was seven. Two years later, she moved again, to Long Island, New York, where she lived until her graduation from high school. She graduated with honors, and her academic achievements allowed her to attend Harvard.

Portman is not her real name, but her grandmother's maiden name.

Natalie graduated from Syosset High School, Syosset, New York in1999 and has been a strict vegetarian since the age of 8.

She has taken dance lessons since the age of 4 and math was her favorite subject in school as it always has an answer.

Natalie can speak five languages fluently. Hebrew and English (her native languages), as well as French, German, and Japanese.

Natalie majored in Psychology in the prestigious Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts.

In her early teens, at the age of 11, Natalie was discovered in a pizza parlor by a Revlon agent. Portman didn't find Modeling very interesting and instead pursued a career in acting. Although she had no initial desire to become an actress, Natalie developed an interest in performing after attending the Stagedoor Manor Performing Camp for three summers.

Career

Natalie's film career started with her role of Matilda in the 1994 film, The Professional as a hit-man's protégée. The following year, she appeared in the crime-drama Heat, alongside heavy weight actors Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, and was noticed in the 1996 film, Beautiful Girls.

Portman received critical acclaim for her movie-stealing performance in the Beautiful Girls. Directed by Ted Demme, the bittersweet comedy also starred Timothy Hutton, Uma Thurman, Rosie O'Donnell, and Matt Dillon.

On May 19, 1999, Natalie premiered in her most high profile role yet in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace as Princess Leia & Luke Skywalker's biological mother, Queen Padme Naberrie Amidala of Naboo.

This movie brought her before audiences and gained Natalie recognition.

After her role in Phantom Menace, Natalie co-starred with Susan Sarandon in Anywhere But Here (1999), and starred in the lead role alongside Ashley Judd in the film adaptation of Where the Heart Is (2000).

In the well-received Cold Mountain (2003), Natalie played the smaller role of Sara, a young woman with an infant whom Inman meets (and saves) on his travels.

She has also had a successful stage career, appearing in such plays as "The Seagull" and "The Diary of Anne Frank."

Other feature credits for Portman include appearing in the Woody Allen musical, Everyone Says I Love You, co-starring Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn, Alan Alda and Drew Barrymore, Tim Burton's black comedy, Mars Attacks! with Jack Nicholson and Glenn Close.