Perfectly Portman

By SAMANTHA ETTUS
Scripps Howard News Service
23-MAR-06

V for Vendetta didn't bring in the box office results that were expected last weekend but that won't tarnish the star quality of leading lady Natalie Portman. Brought to us by the producing team that delivered The Matrix, V for Vendetta was Portman's first turn as the lead character in a blockbuster film.  She is proud of having fought hard for the role, one that required her to shave her head on camera, an act that would have repelled most of Hollywood's actresses.  While Portman has always danced to the beat of her own drummer, she is on track to become the next Audrey Hepburn and her thoughtfully planned career path is one worth analyzing.

Portman has been in the spotlight since she was discovered in a pizza place at 11 years old and cast in her first film, The Professional. Her film career has blossomed consistently since but, remarkably, she has been able to live a balanced and full life in the interim.  While the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton spend their late teens partying, shopping, and posing for the paparazzi, Portman spent her late teen years earning her undergraduate degree at Harvard.  She chose to further her education at the risk of losing favor in Hollywood but, fortunately for her and her fans, the time off served to increase her intrigue.

Portman famously shuns the paparazzi.  By keeping her personal life out of the spotlight her work remains the subject of any talk surrounding her.  Portman brings an intellect to her roles that is rarely seen in the entertainment industry, let alone her age cohort. She is selective about the films she takes on and, rather than playing it safe, she constantly seeks new challenges.  The results speak for themselves.

Having earned a Golden Globe for best supporting actress in the drama, Closer, Portman is one of the few actresses who has successfully tackled multiple genres. From fantasy to romantic comedy, to action and back, Portman commits to a role and will go to any length to fully capture the character. The combination of her savvy film choices and the depth she brings to her work makes Portman infinitely watchable.  While Garden State was a memorable comedy in which Portman stole the show, few people saw the film.  She is long overdue for another comedy to remind people of her impressive range.

In the April issue of Vanity Fair, Portman waxed poetic about some of her favorite topics. Not shoes. Not boys. Not Oscars. Instead she talked about microfinance, being a vegetarian, her mentor, director Mike Nichols, and her favorite college professor, Alan Dershowitz.  Portman leads by example, whether driving a Toyota Prius, spurning leather, or traveling to third world countries to secure business loans for impoverished women, she is an unstoppable force.  In a world of Paris Hiltons, perhaps Portman's greatest achievement is an accidental one; standing out as an inspiration to any young girl for her performances both on screen and off.

(Samantha Ettus' latest book, "The Experts' Guide to Life at Home" (Random House) is now in bookstores. She welcomes your comments at Samantha@celebrityassets.com.)