It’s truly a rare breed of talent that successfully and gracefully transitions from childhood stardom to powerhouse movie star. From her breakout feature role in Léon:The Professional to her haunting Academy Award winning performance in Black Swan, Natalie Portman is selective with the characters and films she chooses to attach her name to, and as a result has cemented her name as one of the leading actresses in Hollywood. To celebrate the cover star of our Art & Design issue—as well as her very recent Golden Globe nomination for Jackie—we’ve put together a gallery of Ms. Portman’s best performances. Read on, and pick up the issue on newsstands for the full interview.
Gallery
Willie (Timothy Hutton) returns to his hometown and immediately faced with the drama he ran away from. He finds comfort in starry-eyed girl-next-door Marty played by Natalie Portman.
Set in the dystopian future, Portman plays Londoner Evey Hammond, whose world is turned upside down after a chance encounter with masked vigilante V (played by Hugo Weaving), who rescues her from the ruthless Fingerman secret police. Evey quickly becomes V’s ally and joins his efforts in overthrowing the corrupt British government
Young ballerina Nina lands the iconic lead role in Black Swan, only to find herself obsessing over the role and neglecting her mental health. Portman’s psychologically challenging performance earned her an Academy Award for best actress.
In her motion picture debut, Natalie Portman plays pre-teen Mathilda who is in a major rush to grow up. After Mathilda’s family gets murdered, she’s taken in by professional assassin Léon (played by Jean Reno), who eventually warms up to having her around and teaches her the tricks of the trade.
Portman plays charming Sam, a young epileptic girl who consoles Andrew (played from Zack Braff) who has returned to his hometown for his mother’s funeral.
In Wes Anderson’s Hotel Chevalier—prelude to The Darjeeling Limited—pixie haired Natalie Portman plays the ultimate seductress, who reunites with her lover Jack Whitman (played by Jason Schwartzman) at the Paris Hotel. The chemistry between the two actors is palpable.
