Natalie Portman was born on June 9, 1981 in Jerusalem, Israel. While she was a toddler, Portman's parents immigrated to the United States. Initially they resided in Washington D.C., and finally settled in Long Island, New York, where Natalie attended Syosset High School.
She graduated with honors, and her academic achievements allowed her to attend Harvard University. She was discovered by an agent in a pizza parlor at the age of 11. She was pushed towards a career in modeling but she decided that she would rather pursue a career in acting. She was featured in many live performances, but she made her powerful film debut in the movie Léon: The Professional (1994) (aka "Léon"). Following this role Natalie won roles in such films as Heat (1995), Beautiful Girls (1996), and Mars Attacks! (1996).
She'd been dancing since the age of 4 but was really taken when she saw Dirty Dancing. Now she began to really perform, arranging pillows in rows in the family basement and charging adults 10 cents a throw to watch her. For an all-round education, her parents would take her to the theatre, to galleries and to many foreign lands. Her later co-star Susan Sarandon would describe Natalie's home-life as "a rarefied atmosphere", and she was absolutely correct.
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