GIRLS WHO GET IT-NATALIE PORTMAN

12:27 PM Posted by MS.NOVA

There’s no argument that Natalie Portman is beautiful, but her talent and intelligence put this Hollywood actress on a totally different playing field.

Born in Jerusalem, Israel, Natalie had her first taste of the limelight at age four as a dancer performing in local troupes. A self-proclaimed “serious kid”, she felt a drive and ambition that set her apart from her peers at an early age, later moving out of dancing and turning down modelling opportunities to focus on acting.

Though she spent her holidays in theatre camps, Natalie put her education before her craft, eventually enrolling at Harvard University in 1999 to study psychology and completing her Bachelor’s degree in 2003. Simultaneously working on the Star Wars films, she opted to skip the premiere of Episode I so she could study for her exams. Quoted saying, “I don't care if [college] ruins my career…I'd rather be smart than be a movie star,” Natalie’s disciplined attitude resulted in her co-authoring two research papers that went on to be published in scientific journals.

Did I mention that she’s also fluent in Hebrew and has studied French, Japanese, German and Arabic? YEAH.

Natalie has won numerous awards for her acting chops, including two Golden Globes, one SAG Award and one Teen Choice Award. She’s also been nominated for two Academy Awards for her work in the 2005 movie Closer and this year’s dark thriller, Black Swan. The part that generated big buzz, however, was in the 2006 film V for Vendetta, where Natalie learned to speak with a British accent and shaved her head for the starring role.

In addition to being dealt one killer hand at birth, Natalie has chosen to be an advocate for animal rights, a devoted anti-poverty activist and a supporter of the Democratic Party, where she campaigned for nominee Senator John Kerry in 2004, Senator Hillary Clinton in 2008 and now president Barack Obama during his general election.

To top it all off, Natalie will also be adding the roles of wife and mother to her resume, as she and fiancé Benjamin Millepied, a ballet dancer, are currently expecting their first child.