Natalie Portman is an American actress born on June 9, 1981. She started acting when she was very young, and she’s been in lots of big movies and smaller ones too. She’s won some really important awards like an Oscar and two Golden Globes.
When Natalie was just twelve, she played a young girl who learns from a hitman in a movie called “Léon: The Professional” in 1994. Then, even while she was still in high school, she acted in a play on Broadway in 1998 and became famous worldwide for her role as Padmé Amidala in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” in 1999. She also went to Harvard University from 1999 to 2003 and got a degree in psychology. During this time, she didn’t act as much, but she was still in the Star Wars movies and in a play called “The Seagull”.
In 2004, Natalie Portman was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe for her part in the movie “Closer”, where she played a mysterious dancer. After that, she starred in some other big movies like “V for Vendetta” in 2005, “The Other Boleyn Girl” in 2008, and “Black Swan” in 2010, which got her another Oscar for Best Actress. She was also in “No Strings Attached” in 2011 and played Jacqueline Kennedy in “Jackie” in 2016, which got her another Oscar nomination. She’s been in some superhero movies too, like the “Thor” series, which made her one of the highest-paid actresses in the world.
In 2021, Natalie started her own production company called MountainA and acted in a drama called “May-December” in 2023.
Besides acting, Natalie has also tried directing. She made a short film called “Eve” in 2008 and a movie about a writer called “A Tale of Love and Darkness” in 2015.
Natalie Portman is from both Israel and the United States, and she cares a lot about animals and the environment. She was married to a dancer named Benjamin Millepied from 2012 to 2024, and they have two kids together.
| Full Name | Natalie Hershlag |
| Date of Birth | June 9, 1981 |
| Place of Birth | Jerusalem, Israel |
| Occupation | Actress, Producer, Director, Writer |
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.6 m) |
| Spouse | Benjamin Millepied (m. 2012) |
| Children | Aleph Portman-Millepied Amalia Millepied |
| Net Worth | $90 Million |
Natalie Portman’s Early Life and Education
Natalie Hershlag was born on June 9, 1981, in Jerusalem. Her parents were Jewish, and they had roots in Poland, Russia, Austria, and Romania. She grew up as the only child of Shelley and Avner Hershlag. Her mom, Shelley Hershlag is American and also works as Natalie’s agent, while her dad, Avner Hershlag is from Israel and works as a gynecologist.
The family first lived in Washington, D.C., then moved to Connecticut in 1988, and later settled on Long Island in 1990. During her time in Washington, Natalie Portman went to the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. Hebrew was her first language. On Long Island, she attended the Solomon Schechter Day School of Nassau County. Natalie Portman was into dance from a young age, studying ballet and modern dance. She also went to the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts. She describes her childhood as focused and serious, saying she was different from other kids because she knew what she wanted and worked hard for it.
At the age of ten, a talent scout from Revlon spotted Natalie at a pizza place and asked her to be a child model, but she declined. However, she saw this as a chance to pursue acting and got herself an agent. She auditioned for a musical called “Ruthless!” in 1992, where she was selected as an understudy along with Britney Spears for the lead role played by Laura Bell Bundy.
Career
Natalie Portman’s career took a significant turn after her role in Ruthless! ended. She successfully auditioned for a major part in Luc Besson’s action drama “Léon: The Professional” (1994). To avoid confusion she adopted her paternal grandmother’s surname Portman as her stage name. In the movie, she played Mathilda an orphan who befriends a middle-aged hitman portrayed by Jean Reno.
Initially, Natalie Portman’s parents were hesitant about her taking on the role due to the script’s explicit content. However, after certain changes were made to tone down nudity and violence involving Mathilda’s character they agreed. Portman herself later commented that she found the content acceptable once these adjustments were made. Despite this, her mother expressed displeasure with some of the film’s unexpected sexual elements that were not originally part of the script.
Critics had mixed opinions on Portman’s performance. Hal Hinson of The Washington Post praised her portrayal for bringing a genuine sense of tragedy to the character. In contrast, Peter Rainer of the Los Angeles Times felt she didn’t fully convey Mathilda’s emotional depth criticizing the film’s sexualization of her character.
Reflecting on her role, Natalie Portman discussed the prevalence of such roles for young actresses and questioned why male writers often portrayed female characters in specific often sexualized ways. She expressed discomfort with the sexualized nature of roles like Mathilda which influenced her choices in subsequent projects.
After filming The Professional Portman returned to school. During the summer break of 1994, she appeared in Marya Cohn’s short film Developing playing a young girl dealing with her mother’s illness. She also attended the Stagedoor Manor performing arts camp where she performed in productions like Anne of Green Gables.
In 1995, Michael Mann cast Natalie Portman in a small role in the film “Heat” impressed by her ability to portray complex characters without melodrama. She continued to expand her acting range with roles in various films including “Beautiful Girls” (1996) where she played a precocious teenager and brief appearances in movies like “Everyone Says I Love You” and “Mars Attacks!” that same year.
Natalie Portman’s career took another significant turn when she starred as Anne Frank in a Broadway revival of The Diary of Anne Frank from December 1997 to May 1998. This experience deeply affected her given her family’s history with the Holocaust. Critics had mixed reviews of her portrayal with some finding it lacking in certain aspects while others praised her performance for its genuine emotional resonance.
From 1999 to 2006, Portman’s career continued to evolve with roles in major productions like the Star Wars prequel trilogy beginning with Episode I – “The Phantom Menace” (1999) where she played Padmé Amidala. This marked her transition to larger-scale films and established her as a global star.
Natalie Portman’s career journey began in 2007 when she stepped into the spotlight with Wong Kar-wai’s romantic drama My Blueberry Nights her first English-language film. Here she played a gambler receiving acclaim for portraying a mature full-bodied character instead of her previous roles as waifs or princesses. Portman also starred in Wes Anderson’s short film Hotel Chevalier and made a brief appearance in The Darjeeling Limited. Her work included diverse roles such as in the children’s film Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium and Paul McCartney’s music video “Dance Tonight.”
In 2008, she played Anne Boleyn in “The Other Boleyn Girl” alongside Scarlett Johansson. She valued the opportunity to act with someone of her age a rare occurrence in films. She also served as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival and founded her production company Charlie Films. Portman debuted as a director with Eve a short film shown at the Venice International Film Festival.
Natalie Portman’s 2009 included roles in films like “Love and Other Impossible Pursuits” and the anthology “New York I Love You”. She also starred in Brothers opposite Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal playing a war widow. Her performance was noted for its subtlety reflecting the challenges faced by military wives.
In 2010, she produced and starred in “Hesher” a black comedy and gained widespread acclaim for her role in “Black Swan” (2010). Portman trained intensively for her part as a ballerina a performance that earned her numerous awards including the Academy Award for Best Actress. The film’s success sparked controversy over the extent of her dancing in the film.
Portman continued her success with roles in “No Strings Attached” (2011), “Your Highness” (2011), and “Thor” (2011). She played Jane Foster a scientist and love interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a role that she helped shape through her research and involvement.
Throughout the 2010s Portman’s career expanded with diverse projects like “Knight of Cups” (2015) where she worked with director Terrence Malick and her directorial debut “A Tale of Love and Darkness” (2015) an adaptation of Amos Oz’s novel. She also starred in the western “Jane Got a Gun” (2016) and received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy in “Jackie” (2016).
Portman continued to explore different genres appearing in films like “Annihilation” (2018), “Vox Lux” (2018), and “Lucy in the Sky” (2019). She reprised her role as Jane Foster in “Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022) which showcased her character’s transformation into Mighty Thor.
Beyond acting Natalie Portman co-founded the production company MountainA in 2021 focusing on diverse storytelling. Their projects include the drama “May December” (2023) and the documentary series Angel City reflecting Portman’s commitment to producing meaningful content.
Looking ahead Portman will star in “Lady in the Lake” (2023) an Apple TV+ miniseries and Fountain of Youth an adventure film directed by Guy Ritchie continuing her legacy as a versatile and influential figure in Hollywood.
Net Worth
Natalie Portman has an estimated net worth of $90 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. The main source of Natalie Portman’s net worth mainly comes from her successful acting career. She started acting as a teenager and gained fame with movies like “Star Wars” and “Black Swan,” for which she won an Oscar. She also makes money from endorsement deals with big brands like Dior. Additionally, she produces films and invests in companies, which further boosts her wealth.
Activism
Natalie Portman, the actress known for her roles in movies like “Black Swan” and “V for Vendetta” is not just a Hollywood star. She’s also a big advocate for animals and the environment.
When Natalie was just eight years old, she decided to stop eating meat after seeing a chicken undergo laser surgery at a medical conference. Later, in 2009, she went even further and became a vegan after reading a book called Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer. She was so moved by what she learned that she made a documentary about how animals are treated in factory farms.
Natalie doesn’t just talk the talk; she walks the walk. She doesn’t wear clothes or shoes made from animals and she supports companies that make animal-friendly products. She even started her line of animal-friendly shoes.
But Natalie’s passion isn’t just limited to animals. She also cares about helping people, especially women in developing countries. She’s worked with organizations like FINCA International, which gives small loans to women so they can start their businesses. She’s traveled to places like Uganda and Guatemala to see their work firsthand.
And it’s not just about money for Natalie Portman. She also spends time raising awareness about important issues. She’s spoken out about things like same-sex marriage and the importance of education for girls. She even hosted a contest to raise money for a girls’ school in Kenya.
But Natalie Portman isn’t afraid to speak her mind, even if it means going against popular opinion. She’s been critical of political leaders like Benjamin Netanyahu in Israel, and she’s been vocal about issues like sexual harassment and violence against women.
In recent years, Natalie Portman has continued to use her platform for good. She’s supported movements like “defund the police” and spoken out about the impact of COVID-19 on people in jails.
But perhaps Natalie’s most exciting project yet is her involvement in Angel City FC, a new women’s soccer team in the U.S. As a co-founder and investor, Natalie Portman is helping to pave the way for women in sports and beyond.
Personal life
Natalie Portman used to be married to a French dancer named Benjamin Millepied, and they have two kids together. They started dating in 2009 while working on the movie “Black Swan” and got married in California in 2012. They lived in Paris for a while when Millepied got a job at the Paris Opera Ballet. Portman even wanted to become a French citizen at one point. But by 2013, they were back in Los Angeles. In 2017, Portman bought a fancy house in Montecito, which she sold for $8 million in 2021.
Portman has talked about feeling connected to her Jewish heritage, especially when she’s in Israel. She wanted to raise her kids Jewish but also said having a good partner, no matter their religion, is more important to her. In 2014, Millepied said he was becoming Jewish.
Then, in early 2023, there were rumors about Millepied cheating, but the couple never said anything about it publicly. Finally, on March 8, 2024, they announced they were getting divorced.
Natalie Portman has been working with Dior since 2010, appearing in their ads. But in 2012, there was a problem with one of their mascara ads featuring her. Another company complained and the ad got banned for being misleading. Portman also represents one of Dior’s perfumes called Miss Dior, and she’s been in videos promoting it. In 2021, she was part of a campaign for a new version of the perfume called Rose N’Roses.
Awards
According to Box Office Mojo and Rotten Tomatoes, some of Natalie Portman’s best-known and most successful movies include “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” (1999), “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” (2002), “Closer” (2004), “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” (2005), “V for Vendetta” (2005), “Black Swan” (2010), “No Strings Attached” (2011), “Thor” (2011), “Thor: The Dark World” (2013), “Jackie” (2016), “Annihilation” (2018), and “Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022).
For her performances, Portman has won several awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
