Born:
June 09, 1981
in
Jerusalem
Best Known For:
Winning an Oscar for Black Swan.
Early-life:
Born Natalie Hershlag on June 9, 1981, in Jerusalem to a doctor father and an artist mother, who is now her agent. She and her family moved to Washington DC when she was very young, and after several more moves they eventually settled in New York. She holds dual citizenship in the US and Israel and can speak fluent Hebrew. While at a pizza parlour, 11-year-old Natalie was discovered by a talent agent, and two years later made her movie debut in Leon.
Career:
The success of Leon opened a lot of doors in Hollywood, and led to roles in Heat, Beautiful Girls and Mars Attacks! before George Lucas cast her in his Star Wars prequel The Phantom Menace. In 1999, the same year that the Star Wars movie dominated the box office, she graduated from high school in New York. Aside from reprising the role of Queen Amidala for 2002's Attack of the Clones and 2005's Revenge of the Sith, she also starred in the movies Where the Heart Is, Anywhere But Here and Closer, for which she received an Oscar nomination. Other films include V for Vendetta, Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium, The Other Boleyn Girl, New York, I Love You, Brothers, and No Strings Attached. She won an Oscar in 2011 and a clutch of other awards for her role in Black Swan.
Quote:
'I didn't have this undying need to be an actress. I didn't have that fire in me ever - at any point. And still, I don't think I have that within me.'
Trivia:
She is trained in ballet, jazz and tap dancing.