I recommend Natalie Portman.
- She was born in Jerusalem, moved to the United States when she was three years old, and currently holds dual citizenship in the United States and Israel.
- Portman began dancing at age four and was part of a local theater group. At age 10, she was approached by Revlon's agent about becoming a child model, but she declined to focus on acting. In an interview with a magazine, Portman said she was "different from the other kids." "I was more ambitious, I knew what I liked and what I wanted, and I worked hard. I was a very serious child," she said.
- She was a bright girl. During her student years, Portman co-authored two research papers published in scientific journals. Her high school paper, "A Simple Method for Enzymatically Producing Hydrogen from Sugar," published in 1998, was submitted to the Intel Science Talent Search. She even missed the premiere of a film she starred in (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace) to study for her high school final exams.
- While continuing her acting career, she studied psychology at Harvard University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 2003. She told the New York Post, "I don't care if academics ruin my career. I'd rather be smart than a movie star." During her time at Harvard, she stayed at Lowell House and contributed a letter to the Harvard Crimson in response to an essay criticizing Israel's actions against Palestinians. In 2002, while majoring in psychology at Harvard, she contributed to a memory study titled "Frontal Lobe Activation in Object Persistence: Data from Near-Infrared Spectroscopy." This paper made Portman one of the few professional actors to have an Erdős Bacon number defined.
- Her film career: In 2001, Portman starred in Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull" at the Public Theatre in New York. In 2005, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for the drama "Closer." She also won a Constellation Award (Best Actress) and a Saturn Award (Best Actress) for her starring role in "V for Vendetta" (2006). She also starred in the historical dramas "The Ghost of Goya" (2006) and "The Other Boleyn Girl" (2008). In May 2008, she became the youngest member of the jury at the 61st Cannes International Film Festival, and her directorial debut, "Eve," was the opening film of the short film competition at the 65th Venice International Film Festival held that same year. Isn't that an amazing career?
- In 2011, Portman played Nina Sayers in the film "Black Swan," winning an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Independent Spirit Award.
Interesting facts
- She can speak six languages. Portman has been interested in foreign languages since she was a child and has studied French, Japanese, German, Hebrew, and Arabic.
- Her ancestors were also accomplished individuals. Her paternal grandfather, who died in Auschwitz, was a professor of economics in Israel, and her great-grandmother, born in Romania, is said to have been a spy for British intelligence during World War II.
- She has a famous twin sister. Portman bears a striking resemblance to fellow actress Keira Knightley.
