Skip to main content
Games Radar
  • Newsarama
  • Total Film
  • Edge
  • Retro Gamer
  • SFX
Total Film The smarter take on movies
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
Recommended reading
Eva Victor as Agnes in Sorry, Baby
Drama Movies Star Wars actor's new movie with a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score gets new trailer – and it looks like a mix between Perks of Being a Wallflower and Frances Ha
Kleya and Luthen in Andor season 2
Star Wars TV Shows Andor season 2's biggest breakout stars wants to play Lara Croft - but she might have to go through a Game of Thrones legend to get the part
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Action Movies Hayley Atwell got in a fight while eight months pregnant for latest Mission: Impossible
Michelle Dockery in the first trailer for Please Don't Feed the Children
Horror Movies New horror movie directed by Steven Spielberg's daughter unveils its first trailer, and it's giving us major Ma meets 28 Days Later vibes
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson and Jodie Comer as Isla in 28 Years Later
Horror Movies 28 Years Later star talks about that heartbreaking scene in one of the scariest films of 2025
Emma Mackey and Fiona Shaw as Sofia and Rose in Hot Milk
Drama Movies Sun, sea, and strained relationships: Andor's Fiona Shaw and Barbie's Emma Mackey play a mother and daughter on the brink in new drama Hot Milk
Mia Goth as Pearl in A24 horror prequel Pearl
Star Wars Movies Star Wars: Starfighter has Mia Goth in its tractor beam as the big movie villain
  1. Entertainment
  2. Film Festivals & Awards

The Evolution Of Natalie Portman

Features
By Joshua Winning published 18 January 2010

From gun-toting kid to grieving mother-of-two...

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Lon

Lon

The Film: Ms Portman was lucky to bag this, the first feature film of her career. Initially turned down by the flick’s casting director for being too young (she was 11), she returned to act out the scene in which Mathilda mourns the death of her brother.

Impressed, director Luc Besson gave her the part.

The Role: Twelve-year-old chain-smoker Mathilda has the kind of smarts that most pre-teens could only dream of. Calmly pacing past her apartment, where her family have all just been murdered, she is inadvertently saved by Jean Reno’s “cleaner” Léon.

The Hair: Hard edged bob with a fringe.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Mars Attacks!

Mars Attacks!

The Film: Tim Burton took a break from Batman and dark, twisted tales for this high camp send up of ‘50s alien invasion flicks.

The Role: Portman brings a touch of likeable empathy to First Daughter Taffy Dale, who has Jack Nicholson for a father and Glenn Close for a mother. Which explains her wickedly dark sense of humour and cynical view of the world.

As civilisation falls to its knees, Taffy is one of the few survivors. She takes up her father’s duties by awarding medals to the brave. Portman, it seems, is a natural leader.

The Hair: Typical non-descript teenager cut.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

The Film: If there was one good thing about The Phantom Menace , it was that it shrunk our Jupiter-sized expectations down to size. Meaning we could enjoy this second outing for what it was – a fun space romp with some dazzling set pieces.

The Role: After staggering around under a ton of fabric and make-up in the first Star Wars prequel, Ms Portman lets her hair down (sometimes literally) in her second round as Padmé Amidala.

She gets to fire a gun and actually save herself (gasp!) from the jaws of peril. You go girl!

The Hair: A tight bun for kicking butt, soft and wavy for court duties and weddings.

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Garden State

Garden State

The Film: The directorial debut of Zach Braff (him off Scrubs ), based in part on his own youth growing up in New Jersey.

Apparently Ms Portman was Mr Braff’s first and only choice for the role of Sam. He never thought she’d say yes. She did, missing three weeks of her senior year at Harvard to shoot the film.

The Role: “Do you play the retarded quarterback?” Sam asks Zach’s Andrew. “Are you really retarded?”

She’s epileptic, a compulsive liar, and deceptive to the extreme. But she’s also inspiring and mesmerising. Who remembers that scene in the pool?

The Hair: Braided, plaited and all over the shop. Just like the character.

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
Closer

Closer

The Film: Tarantino described Closer as a film that takes its four leads and shoves them in a box before slowly picking them apart.

A sort of update of Mozart’s tragic opera Cosi fan tutte , Mike Nichols directs Portman, Jude Law, Julia Roberts and Clive Owen in a film that questions love and loyalty.

The Role: It’s the one that bagged Portman a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination. Alice has run away from New York, fleeing a life spent in the sex industry. Portman is sexy, sultry and manipulative.

The Hair: Take your pick. Our favourite is the pink bob, naturally.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Cold Mountain

Cold Mountain

The Film: Director Anthony Minghella’s penultimate big screen directing gig is a two-and-a-half-hour war drama based on Charles Frazier’s novel.

The Role: Portman originally went for Nicole Kidman’s role. Instead, she took the arguably far more affecting part of tragic Sara.

A young widow who’s raising her child alone, she’s almost raped by a soldier, then shoots another. The intensity sizzling behind Portman's eyes is staggering.

Did we mention it’s all rather tragic?

The Hair: Simple plaits befitting of a busy young mother.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
V for Vendetta

V for Vendetta

The Film: Still cruising on the accolades that the first Matrix earned them, the brothers Wachowski dusted off a pre- Matrix script that they had written for Vendetta and handed it to James McTeigue to direct. The two flicks follow similar themes relating to society, power and corruption.

The Role: Ms Portman beat both Scarlett Johansson and Bryce Dallas Howard to the part of Evey. Ever the pro, Portman was most excited about the scene in which she had her head shaved – naturally, they did it in just one take.

The Hair: It all gets chopped off. She still looks amazing.

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Goya's Ghosts

Goya's Ghosts

The Film: Critically mauled on release, Milos Forman’s return to the camera after a five year break still sits uneasy with critics, but attracts Portman fans thanks to her dual role of Inés/Alicia.

Though shot entirely in Spain, with Javier Bardem and Stellan Skarsgård, it’s an English-speaking oddity.

The Role: Cast after director Forman noticed that she resembled the girl in Goya's painting ‘Milkmaid of Bordeaux’, Portman plays wronged model Inés and benevolent street-walker Alicia.

The Hair: Jet black. She’s Spanish, innit?

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
The Other Boleyn Girl

The Other Boleyn Girl

The Film: Written by Peter Morgan, this sweeping period drama is adapted from the book by Philippa Gregory.

It follows the tragic relationships between King Henry VIII and Mary and Anne Boleyn.

The Role: Portman replaced Keira Knightley to play Anne Boleyn when the young Brit vacated the role.

She describes the character as “strong, yet she can be vulnerable, and she will step on people but also feels remorse for it.”

The Hair: Mostly hidden underneath a variety of sumptuous headdresses.

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Mr Magoriums Wonder Emporium

Mr Magoriums Wonder Emporium

The Film: Crazy, zany wack-a-doo fantasy written and directed by Zach Helm (of Stranger than Fiction ). Mr Magorium (Dustin Hoffman) is a centuries-old toy shop owner who decides to hand the reigns over to his manager Molly Mahoney (Portman).

In response, the shop throws a tantrum, and all hell breaks loose.

The Role: Drew Barrymore was originally up to play Molly Mahoney, but Portman jumped in when the role became free. She might be regretting it now, though; the movie bombed.

The Hair: A pixie cut magnifies Ms Portman’s pre-existing elfin beauty.

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Brothers

Brothers

The Film: Translating the original Danish film Brødre for an English-speaking audience, this Jim Sheridan-directed drama follows the horror of war both home and away.

It features a staggering show from Tobey Maguire as a kidnapped soldier treated to extremes of violence of mental torture. It’s released this Friday.

The Role: Portman gives a killer performance as grieving mother-of-two Grace Cahill in a film overflowing with great performances (including a blink-and-you’ll-miss-her Carey Mulligan). Next up, it’s Thor and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies .

The Hair: Blonde highlighted anti-mum mum hair.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
Joshua Winning
Social Links Navigation

Josh Winning has worn a lot of hats over the years. Contributing Editor at Total Film, writer for SFX, and senior film writer at the Radio Times. Josh has also penned a novel about mysteries and monsters, is the co-host of a movie podcast, and has a library of pretty phenomenal stories from visiting some of the biggest TV and film sets in the world. He would also like you to know that he "lives for cat videos..." Don't we all, Josh. Don't we all.  

Read more
Eva Victor as Agnes in Sorry, Baby
Star Wars actor's new movie with a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score gets new trailer – and it looks like a mix between Perks of Being a Wallflower and Frances Ha
Kleya and Luthen in Andor season 2
Andor season 2's biggest breakout stars wants to play Lara Croft - but she might have to go through a Game of Thrones legend to get the part
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
Hayley Atwell got in a fight while eight months pregnant for latest Mission: Impossible
Michelle Dockery in the first trailer for Please Don't Feed the Children
New horror movie directed by Steven Spielberg's daughter unveils its first trailer, and it's giving us major Ma meets 28 Days Later vibes
Ralph Fiennes as Dr. Kelson and Jodie Comer as Isla in 28 Years Later
28 Years Later star talks about that heartbreaking scene in one of the scariest films of 2025
Emma Mackey and Fiona Shaw as Sofia and Rose in Hot Milk
Sun, sea, and strained relationships: Andor's Fiona Shaw and Barbie's Emma Mackey play a mother and daughter on the brink in new drama Hot Milk
Latest in Film Festivals & Awards
Oscars
The 2025 Oscars will include new rules that require judges to watch all official nominees before voting
Zoe Saldana at the Oscars
James Cameron responds to Zoe Saldaña's Oscar win: "I was so happy to see Zoe acknowledged as the world-class performer we, in the Avatar family, have always known her to be"
Francis Ford Coppola and Adam Driver
The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola has given a legendary response to his Razzie win for Megalopolis, which he is "thrilled" to accept
Mikey Madison and Mark Eidelstein in Anora
Anora's Sean Baker wins Best Director at the 2025 Oscars and immediately pleads, "Filmmakers, keep making films for the big screen"
Oscars
2025 Oscar winners in full: Anora wins big as The Brutalist and Wicked pick up multiple awards
Mikey Madison and Mark Eidelstein in Anora
Mikey Madison wins Best Actress at the 2025 Oscars, thanking director Sean Baker: "This is all because of you"
Latest in Features
Superman kisses Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman
After years of loveless Marvel and DC movies, I hope Superman and Fantastic Four prove romantic relationships are just as important as world-saving spectacle when it comes to superhero flicks
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gameplay running with the Switch 2 upgrade
I wanted to make a beeline for Tears of the Kingdom's ending, but Zelda's Switch 2 upgrade has forced me to slow down
Heroes 3 screenshot
The greatest strategy RPG ever is making a comeback with the publisher behind Manor Lords, and I'm ready to relive my Behemoth-collecting 2000s
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) screenshot showing Darth Vader walking through a hangar flanked by two stormtroopers
I've spent 11 hours fighting AI in EA's Star Wars Battlefront 2, and it's taking me back to the glory days of PS2 skirmish modes
Dollman is lost in thought in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
This is now a Dollman fan account: Death Stranding 2's puppet pal makes for my favorite PlayStation duo since Ratchet & Clank
Agent 47 on a mission in Hitman: World of Assassination
I'm loving Hitman: World of Assassination on Switch 2, but the game's always-online requirement is worse than ever
  1. A Gundam style mech in Mecha Break
    1
    Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy"
  2. 2
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  3. 3
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  4. 4
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  5. 5
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  1. David Corenswet as Superman inside the Fortress of Solitude in James Gunn's Superman.
    1
    Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU"
  2. 2
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  3. 3
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  4. 4
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  5. 5
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...