Actress Natalie Portman amazed audiences with her talent even as a little girl. Who doesn’t remember her with a flower pot in her hands and Leon the killer next to her? It is very pleasant that this success was not a one-time thing, and the girl later turned into a beautiful woman who starred in Star Wars, Black Swan, and Marvel films. 
Here are seven facts about Natalie Portman that every fan should know.
1. Natalie Portman is a stage name 
The actress's real name is Neta-Lee Herschlag. She was born on June 9, 1981 in Jerusalem into a Jewish family. After a hugely successful screen debut in the French thriller Leon, she decided to change her identity (to protect her privacy) and took the stage name Natalie Portman. Portman is the surname of her paternal grandmother.
2. She was “discovered” by a Revlon agent 
An unexpected turn in the life of Neta-Lee Hershlag occurred during a chance meeting in a pizzeria. She was approached by a Revlon agent and offered to become a model. She politely refused the offer, but skillfully used this meeting and, using the contact, found a casting agent. After all, she dreamed of being an actress! So, thanks to her persistence, the girl received her first acting role in the 1992 Broadway musical “Ruthless!”, and the rest is history.
3. She co-authored a research paper in high school. 
Portman, despite a successful acting career from a young age, continued to diligently gnaw on the granite of science. She approached the learning process very seriously and with full dedication, understanding that a good education is extremely important. It is known that Natalie Portman not only has a beautiful face, but also a high level of intelligence (officially, her IQ is 140 points). She co-authored a scientific paper with scientists Ian Hurley and Jonathan Woodward, “A Simple Method for Demonstrating Enzymatic Hydrogen Production from Sugar,” which was shortlisted in the Intel Science Talent Search. Portman graduated from Syosset High School in 1999.
4. Natalie Portman - Harvard graduate 
Even after her acting career took off, Portman continued to pursue science. In 2000, she entered the prestigious Harvard University and graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology. She simultaneously studied advanced Hebrew literature and neuroscience, worked as a research assistant, and co-authored another paper entitled “Frontal Lobe Activation During Object Persistence: Evidence from Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.” At this time, Portman devoted more energy to science than to Hollywood, and refused some roles. She famously said about her decision to attend an Ivy League college: “I don’t care if college ruins my career. I'd rather be smart than a movie star." As a result, she's both, and that's pretty cool.
5. She directed the Amos Oz biopic A Tale of Love and Darkness 
Given her exceptional intelligence, it's only natural that Natalie Portman would expand her creative endeavors beyond acting. In 2008, she made her directorial debut with the romantic short film Eve. Years later, she took over the director's chair to direct a biopic of Israeli writer Amos Oz called A Tale of Love and Darkness. This was her feature-length directorial debut. Portman also starred in this film. It premiered at the Cannes and Toronto film festivals and was later shown in the USA and Israel.
6. Natalie Portman met her husband on the set of the film “Black Swan” 
One of the most memorable and commercially successful films starring the actress was “Black Swan.” It was a turning point in both Portman’s career and personal life: during filming, she met the French choreographer Benjamin Millepied, who participated in the production. They began dating in 2009, before the film's 2010 release, and married in a Jewish ceremony on August 4, 2012.
7. She's been vegan since 2009 
Every Natalie Portman fan should know one fact: the actress became a committed vegetarian at the age of 8 after accompanying her father, a gynecologist, to a laser surgery demonstration. All these demonstrations were carried out on chickens. As an adult, the actress used her fame to advocate for animal rights. Portman switched to a completely vegan lifestyle in 2009. This is the strictest form of vegetarianism and excludes all animal products from the diet.
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