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Natalie Portman

Actor, producer and director

Born 1981

Natalie Portman is an actor, producer and director born in Jerusalem and raised on Long Island. A cosmetics scout approached her in a pizza parlour, but she wanted to act; her early screen work included Léon, Heat and Beautiful Girls. She played Anne Frank on Broadway and Nina in Mike Nichols’ Central Park staging of The Seagull. Portman studied psychology at Harvard while continuing her film career, graduating in 2003 and later returning to give the Class Day address. At her Harvard return, she described overcoming self-doubt and choosing work by her own interests. The Star Wars prequels made her Padmé Amidala, while Garden State, Closer and V for Vendetta developed a varied adult career. Black Swan brought the leading-actress Oscar, and Jackie earned another nomination. Her independent-film work includes Annihilation, Vox Lux, Lucy in the Sky and May December; Thor: Love and Thunder returned her to Jane Foster as the Mighty Thor. She wrote and directed A Tale of Love and Darkness and played Fania in its Hebrew-language adaptation. Producing extends from Hesher and Eating Animals to MountainA, her company with Sophie Mas. She combined acting and executive producing on Lady in the Lake and acted and produced May December and The Gallerist. Recent projects also include Fountain of Youth and voice work in The Twits and Arco. Netflix confirms her acting and producing role in Lena Dunham’s forthcoming Good Sex. Her writing also includes the illustrated children’s book Natalie Portman’s Fables.

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Connected people

ConnectionSophie MasMountainA producing partner, including May December, Lady in the Lake and Good Sex.

ConnectionLena DunhamGood Sex writer/director and author of Famesick, praised in Portman’s reading interview.

ConnectionCathy YanThe Gallerist director and co-writer.

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