Natalie Portman (Hebrew: נטלי פורטמן; born June 9, 1981) is a Golden Globe-winning, Academy Award-nominated Israeli-American actress. Portman began her career in the early 1990s, turning down the oppurtunity to become a child model in favor of acting. Her first role came in the 1994 independent film Leon: The Professional, however her breakout role did not come until she was cast Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
In 2005, Portman recieved an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her critically acclaimed performance in the art house drama Closer. She divides her roles between mainstream films such as V for Vendetta and art house films such as Garden State.