Natalie Portman

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Born: 9th June 1981
Country: Israel
Occupation: Actress
Quote: "My father has a general rule. He says if I haven't done it in real life I shouldn't do it on-screen"

Think "child actor" and your thoughts will probably turn to the many annoying kids who turn up in one film and are funny and cute, but in all following films are ugly and irritating. Natalie Portman was not that kind of child actor, and as an adult should have a long and successful career ahead of her. Many would argue that her roles to date have made her the equal or better of older actors.

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With her casting in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace®, Natalie has become more widely recognised by the public, although her previous film outings have hardly been small affairs.

Natalie Portman is one of a very few child or teenage actors who has the potential to be around in Hollywood and in films for many years to come. It is unlikely that she will be disappearing as fast as those annoying ten-year-olds with their pudding bowl haircuts, due mostly to her ability to make her roles believable, when in the hands of another actress, they might be stereotypes. For someone who has proved that there are young actors out there who are genuinely talented, Natalie Portman deserves to have our attention well into the next Millennium.

Movie Picks:

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Leon/The Professional (France 1994) : This is the first film I saw Natalie in, although I had no idea who she was at the time. The film has been noted more for Gary Oldman's psychotic cop, for Jean Reno's English-speaking debut and for the action scenes than for Natalie's brilliant portrayal of a troubled, forthright teenager whose life is torn apart by her father's illegal dealings. The on-screen relationship between Reno and Portman is built up beautifully, but thankfully not taken too far.

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Heat (USA 1996): The presence of three of the nineties' biggest stars - Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro and Val Kilmer - threatened to overwhelm all of the other cast members in this huge film. Due to the length of it, however, Natalie's character does get enough screen time to make an impression as Pacino's suicidal step-daughter. Her resentment towards her real father progresses throughout the film until she eventually makes Pacino claim her as his own by slashing her wrists in his bath. Crazy may be easy to play, but it's incredibly difficult to be believed at it and Natalie does this well.

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Star Wars Episode I : The Phantom Menace® (USA 1999) Let's face it, love it or hate it there is no escaping this movie. Opinion amongst our members seems to be divided on Natalie's performance. If you've not shared yours yet we'd love to hear it!

- Lonely Walker

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