Natalie Portman has starred in nearly 70 feature films and television series throughout her 30+ year career as a professional actor. The acclaimed actor graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Harvard University in 2003 after making her future film debut at the age of 13 in 1994. Portman has won an Academy Award for Best Actress and was the first person born in the 1980s to do so. She was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2005 and Best Actress in 2017 and has starred in the recent MCU film Thor: Love and Thunder.
The 42-year-old Portman has starred in a wide range of dramas, thrillers, and action movies throughout her career. She has worked with several great filmmakers such as Terrence Malick, Darren Aronofsky, Luc Besson, George Lucas, Alex Garland, and Michael Mann. One of Portman’s best-known roles is as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy where she plays the romantic interest of Anakin Skywalker and the mother of Luke and Lea. Portman stars alongside Julianne Moore in Todd Haynes’ 2023 drama May December and is set to appear in the miniseries Lady in the Lake in the near future.
10 Thor (2011)
The original Thor movie introduced Chris Hemsworth in his iconic Avengers role as well as Natalie Portman playing the part of Jane Foster. Portman would later reprise her role in 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder as the superhero Mighty Thor, although the movie was not as celebrated as some of the other Thor installments such as 2017’s Ragnarok. The original Thor initially brought a theatrical element to the franchise through director Kenneth Branagh, which allowed Portman to demonstrate her wide dramatic range in her role with ease.
9 Closer (2004)
One of Portman’s most memorable characters appears in Mike Nichols’ 2004 romantic drama Closer, in which she plays the alluring Alice who gets involved in a partner-swapping scenario with Dan (Jude Law), Larry (Clive Owen), and Anna (Julia Roberts). Portman is captivating in the film as a muse for Dan and offers a sympathetic and raw portrayal of a character who is torn and distraught in her emotions. Closer is a rare film that dives deeply into themes that aren’t commonly explored so intently onscreen, such as love, sex, and the root of romantic connection.
8 Garden State (2004)
Zach Braff’s Garden State is a cult classic among coming-of-age movies and places Portman in a role that allows her to branch out in new avenues of creativity with her character. Portman plays the sweet and spontaneous Sam, who meets Braff’s Andrew Largeman during an existential crisis as he returns home for his mother’s funeral. Portman’s Sam is a major reason why Garden State is cherished as the emotional rollercoaster it is, offering glimpses of humor, sadness, and an extraordinary soundtrack that perfectly captures the early 2000s mainstream rock scene.
7 V For Vendetta (2005)
V For Vendetta is another cult classic starring Natalie Portman in the dystopian adventure thriller. Portman plays Evey Hammond, an everyday citizen and television network employee living in a future version of the United Kingdom under the control of a fascist government. She encounters an anonymous freedom fighter who goes by the name of V who warns Evey of the massive revolution to come. Portman famously shaved her head for her role on V For Vendetta, proving her dedication to one of the best performances of her career.
6 Annihilation (2018)
Annihilation was Alex Garland’s follow-up to his celebrated Ex-Machina (2014). The film stars Portman as a biologist named Lena whose military husband Kane disappears after being at a strange government facility known as Area X. Portman leads a team of an anthropologist, a psychologist, and a linguist who enter the mysterious area where the laws of nature seemingly don’t exist. Portman is excellent alongside Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Issac in this mind-bending and horrifying sci-fi horror film.
5 Léon: The Professional (1994)
Natalie Portman’s breakthrough role was also her feature film debut in the critically acclaimed Léon: The Professional. Portman authentically plays a 12-year-old girl who has no choice but to depend on a professional assassin named Léon after her family is killed. The unlikely friendship eventually sees Portman’s Mathilda becoming the hitman’s apprentice, learning how to become a professional assassin herself. It’s arguably Portman’s most impressive performance considering her age and inexperience complimented by Besson’s masterful and thrilling direction.
4 Heat (1995)
Portman has a small role in Michael Mann’s famed crime thriller Heat as the teenage daughter of Al Pacino’s character Vincent Hanna. Although Portman’s appearance in the film is brief, it’s incredibly significant considering the heavy content surrounding her character in the film. Heat is still considered one of the best heist movies ever made with exciting performances by Val Kilmer, Robert De Niro, Jon Voight, and Tom Sizemore that helped make the film an instant classic of the action genre.
3 Jackie (2016)
In one of her most demanding roles to date, Natalie Portman portrayed First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the political biopic Jackie. The film closely follows an authentic account of the days before and after the infamous assassination of former President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy’s struggle to maintain her faith amidst the overwhelming grief and trauma of the sudden tragedy. Arguably, Portman gave her best-ever performance in Pablo Larrain’s Jackie, which she was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for in 2017.
2 May December (2023)
Natalie Portman completely transforms herself through her character Elizabeth Berry, a method actress in Todd Haynes’ acclaimed film May December. Portman gives one of the greatest performances of her career as the sinister and manipulative actress who inserts herself into the world of Grace Atherton, a controversial former convict who infamously had children with a 14-year-old boy. May December is a twisted yet cathartic film about deception, delusion, and the lengths some people will go to protect themselves from their own shattering truths.
1 Black Swan (2010)
Portman’s greatest film is Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan in which she portrays the tortured ballerina Nina Sayers. Portman’s dedication to the role is reflected in her character Nina, committing herself to months of extensive dance training to prepare for the part that won her the Oscar for Best Actress. Portman gives a tour-de-force performance in Black Swan, which also features excellent efforts from Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, and Winona Ryder. Often considered one of Aronofsky’s best works, Black Swan remains Natalie Portman’s best movie for the sheer passion she put into her character.
