Posted on 11/07/2004 5:47:03 PM PST by Alouette
Actress Natalie Portman, whose performances in such films as Anywhere But Here and the Star Wars prequels The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones have made her one of Hollywood's hottest young stars, is now receiving good notices for her latest role – as a student at Jerusalem's Hebrew University.
The Israeli-born Portman has been quietly attending classes this autumn at HU, both in the graduate school and the overseas student program, while living off-campus. Although Portman is enrolled under her birth name, has refused interview requests from the media, and has asked the HU administration not to give out information regarding her studies, the actress's presence has not gone unnoticed by her fellow students.
"She looks very much like she looks in the movies. She's got a very pretty face and is relatively skinny," one of her classmates told The Jerusalem Post. "She looks like a typical third- or fourth- year college student. She doesn't dress in anything glamorous, and she speaks up in class. If I didn't know who she was, she wouldn't stick out."
Portman's presence at HU is not entirely surprising. She was born in Jerusalem in 1981, the daughter of a Israeli doctor and an American mother. When she was three, the family moved to the United States. In past interviews, Portman has talked with pride about her Israeli roots and said she keeps in close touch with her relatives here.
Last year, as a student in Harvard, Portman sent a letter to the Harvard Crimson student newspaper in defense of Israel. In February, 2003, she visited terror victims at the Hadassah-University Hospital in Jerusalem's Ein Kerem.
Portman shot to fame in 1994 playing an orphaned girl who is befriended by a professional hit man in Luc Besson's Leon. Next month she will be seen on-screen costarring with Jude Law and Julia Roberts in one of the year's most eagerly anticipated films, Mike Nichols's Closer.
In the meantime, her classmates at HU are giving her four stars as a classmate.
"She seemed very casual," says one who talked with her. "She seemed very approachable, and anybody that I know that's talked to her said she seemed very nice. And she wears less make-up than probably 80 percent of Israeli girls."
Was Hitlery in that picture? Didn't notice. Must have been a cold day when that picture was taken.
Here films are crashing and burning. She has to do something to get movie roles.
Does she have something on the tounge?
My son thinks she's hot.
She is very hot. However it would take a lot of beers to be able to stomach her liberal leanings.
It's very difficult for me to imagine any Israeli, even a far-leftist Israel, saying something like that. Well, maybe Uri Avnery or Shulamit Aloni.
I do remember Susan Sarandon saying something like that.
Hey, I agree. We should start a fan club. ;)
LOL. Look at the grin on Hitlery! Shrillery loves dem headlights. I guess Janet Reno has some competition.
Not just a Bush Basher, but a sith apprentace of Lord HITLERY KLINTOON.
Episode 3 is pretty cool (read the novelization), Episode 2 was only good during the Battle of Geonosis, Episode 1. EWUGHHH
As for Natalie Portman, I do not really much care for her or her character. No one could beat Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia.
I am not a committie!
This bucket of bolts is never gonna make it past that blockade.
Han Solo: "Ohh yeah? Watch this!"
Leia Organa: "Watch WHAT!!??
Somone get this walking capret out of my way!
versus natalie portman's dull julliett-ish acting of Padme.
Really? She was nominated along with fellow costar Clive Owen for an oscar in Closer.
You can't fault Natalie Portman because GL doesn't give her the same of lines as he did for Carrie Fisher.
No I never meant it that way. Its GL's fault for making such dull characters in the prequels. BUT I have yet to see Natalie act good in anything. Although she acted in SW A LOT better than she did in Sideways (I think that's the movie, not too sure of the name, but she played a bimbo stripper in it).
Err Closer. Yeah thats it.
She acted the way she was directed to act. GL just can't write.
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