In the Professional (1994; originally released in director Luc Besson's native France under the title Léon), Mathilda, played by Natalie Portman, formed an unlikely symbiotic relationship with the professional hitman Jean Reno. As the storyline unfolds, Portman's stunning performance proves that she's an actress to be reckoned with. Her '94 debut was immediately followed by minor performances and appearances before Portman once again captured the audience' minds, next to Matt Dillon and Timothy Hutton, in Beautiful Girls (1996). Her career was a one-way ticket, as she continued to distinguish herself in various films, including Michael Mann's Heat (1995) and Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You (1996), and Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! (1996), in which she played the daughter of President Jack Nicholson. article continued below....

In the Professional (1994; originally released in director Luc Besson's native France under the title Léon), Mathilda, played by Natalie Portman, formed an unlikely symbiotic relationship with the professional hitman Jean Reno. As the storyline unfolds, Portman's stunning performance proves that she's an actress to be reckoned with. Her '94 debut was immediately followed by minor performances and appearances before Portman once again captured the audience' minds, next to Matt Dillon and Timothy Hutton, in Beautiful Girls (1996). Her career was a one-way ticket, as she continued to distinguish herself in various films, including Michael Mann's Heat (1995) and Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You (1996), and Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! (1996), in which she played the daughter of President Jack Nicholson.

Portman, who turned 18, June '99, has through many years been recognized for her "mature" performances, and has for that and many others reasons become one of cinema's most promising performers. Yet despite her image as a serious young thespian, Portman, who was born in Jerusalem but raised in New York City, is still somewhat a typical teenager who hangs out with her friends, watches Dawson's Creek, listens to Portishead while she does her homework, ponders college, and harbors a fervent passion for fashion (of which she quotes, "It is an art, but people mistake it for materialism").

When Portman was nine, the family settled in Long Island (after having spent years in Israel, Maryland, and Connecticut while her father received advanced training as a doctor) where she has lived as a suburban kid ever since, attending the local high school (even during the major theatrical coming-of-age, her run as Anne Frank) and escaping to the city on weekends ("where I live is a classic suburb - a nice place to grow up but there's nothing to do, which causes a huge problem for young people"). She loves to dance , particularly at giddy, velvet-rope nightspots such as Life.

With her interest in fashion, Portman is well-suited to play the exotic Queen Amidala in the beginning of a legend, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. In the year of 1995, she met George Lucas in his Marin County home. Approaching the eight year commitment was to Portman not an easy task, as she has yet to reveal her final choice whereas she'll continue as an actress or follow in her father's footsteps to eventually become a doctor (?).

Aware of the potential loss of privacy by starring in a film series that has provoked such devotion among fans worldwide, she signed up for the role as the young queen and future mother of Luke and Leia. "I still can't prepare myself. I don't know what's to come. But what's happened so far has been wonderful, to see people so passionate,"

• Turned down a role in _Horse Whisperer (1998)_ to act in The Diary of Ann Frank on Broadway.
• (May/June 1999) Graduated from Syosset High School, Syosset, NY
• Has been a strict vegetarian since the age of 8.
• Has taken dance lesson since the age of 4.
• Says that math is her favorite subject in school because, "There's always an answer."
• (1999) Stated in a TV interview that with the exception of the Star Wars prequels, she will not act for the next four years in order to concentrate on studying at Harvard University.
• Can speak fleuent Hebrew, French, and Japanese.
• Originally turned down the role of Ann August in the film Anywhere But Here (1999) because of the love scene between herself and Corbin Allred which required nudity. Susan Sarandon who had co-star approval, said she couldn't continue the movie without Portman, so the script was re-written without the scene and sent to Natalie, and she accepted.
• Portman is her grandmother's maiden name. She avoids revealing her real name so she can have more privacy.
• Her mother is an artist, and her father a doctor. She is an only child.
• She went to Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Camp in 1994 and 1995 where she was Anne in "Anne of Green Gables" in 1994 and "Tapestry" in 1995.
• Was the first choice to play Juliet in Romeo + Juliet (1996) movie but turned it down because of the scenes, and the age difference, between her and Leonardo DeCaprio
• She was discovered in a Pizza parlour and was originally turned down for the role of Mathilda in Léon (1994) because she was too young.
• Stagedoor Manor (1996), she was in "Cabaret" as Sally
• Harpers and Queen magazine said that she is "the new Audrey Hepburn".
• Turned down the title role in Adrian Lyne's Lolita (1997), due to her feelings for young adult actors/actresses being exposed to sex in films.
• Performed the role of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Stagedoor Manor,
• Before she was cast for her role in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), she had never seen the original 3 Star Wars movies
• Moved to the US when she was 3 years old
• Turned down the role of Wendy in Ice Storm, The (1997) because she felt the material was "too dark." The role went to Christina Ricci, who has said she often gets the projects Natalie turns down.
• Said would never be in a horror movie or any other " Jennifer Love Hewitt type" film
• Has said in interviews that when she gets older, she would like to be a doctor like her father.
• Was caught using a fake ID trying to sneak into the Roxy. The performer Moby insisted that she was invited by him, and refused to perform unless she was admitted. She was admitted and security watched her as she stood in the back, watched the show, and didn't drink.
• States in an online interview that the story about sneaking into the Roxy to see Moby is not true, and that she and her friends went home after they were denied entrance.
• (2000) She is currently studying psychology at Harvard (where she has three room-mates), and says that she may plan to make that her career.
• Takes pride in the fact that she is a role model for girls and choses roles that are positive so that they will have a positive role model to look up to.
• Her father is an infertility specialist
• Auditioned for Little Women (1994).
• Became interested in acting after spending three summers at the prestigious (and expensive) Stagedoor Manor Performing Arts Camp.
• Is very close to her parents and says, "The best part about being friends with your parents is that no matter what you do, they always love you."
• Grew up in Syosset, Long Island, New York, where her parents still reside.