There have been so many American Sweethearts that in today’s selection of talent, it is impossible to land on a single woman who captures audiences’ hearts. However, one standout actress is Natalie Portman, who got everyone’s attention in Leon, and held it through performances in Garden State, V for Vendetta, and Black Swan.
Portman got her big break in the second Star Wars trilogy, starring as the young queen and future rebel, Padmé. However, she did not box herself into an action star persona, following it up that year with the Golden Globe-nominated Anywhere But Here. Over the years, she constantly varied the kind of work she did, switching from dramas to romances, even participating in a Lonely Island sketch.
In 2005, she released a blockbuster action film (Star Wars Episode III), a dramedy (Free Zone), and a highly regarded sci-fi thriller (V for Vendetta). 11 years after her big debut, she even won Best Actress for her leading role in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, where she pushes herself even further to demonstrate the dark side of ballet and the entertainment industry as a whole.
Now, audiences can count on Portman to always provide a fresh and interesting performance and a less-than-standard role. This year, she is both a scientist on the hunt for answers in Annihilation, and a pop star trying to make a comeback in the highly anticipated Vox Lux. For Portman’s roles, nothing is as they seem, which keeps her as one of my favorite actresses to watch.
A Selection to Stream right now:
Léon: The Professional (1994) – – – watch on You Tube
Mars Attacks! (1996) – – – watch on You Tube
Anywhere but Here (1999) – – – watch on You Tube
Where the Heart Is (2000) – – – watch on You Tube
Garden State (2004) – – – watch on You Tube
Closer (2004) – – – watch on You Tube
V for Vendetta (2006) – – – watch on You Tube
My Blueberry Nights (2007) – – – watch on iTunes
Brothers (2009) – – – watch on You Tube
Black Swan (2010) – – – watch on You Tube
Jackie (2016) – – – watch on You Tube
Annihilation (2018) – – – watch on You Tube