Personal details
- Birth Date: 1981-06-09
- Height: 5′ 3″ (1.60 m)
- Birth Location: Jerusalem, Israel
- Children: (divorced, 2 children) Aleph Millepied
- Parents: Avner Hershlag
- Professions: Actress, Producer, Director
Natalie Portman? Yeah, she’s that rare combo: brainy and wildly talented. Born in Jerusalem on June 9, 1981, as Natalie Hershlag, she’s the only kid of a doctor dad and an artist mom — and honestly, you can kinda see both sides in her. Her family bounced from Israel to D.C., then finally landed in New York, which is still her home turf. And, get this, she graduated with honors and went to Harvard. Like, who does that while acting in movies? Her big break happened in the most random way — she was literally discovered eating pizza at age 11. The modeling world tried to lure her in, but acting was her real thing. She started out strong with her film debut in Léon (1994), and then just kept rolling: Heat, Beautiful Girls, Mars Attacks! — all before most of us figured out how to do taxes. But the real pop came in 1999, when she played Queen Amidala in Star Wars: Episode I. Suddenly, everyone knew her face. She kept nailing it, grabbing roles in Anywhere But Here, Where the Heart Is, and Closer (where she snagged her first Oscar nom). She stuck around for two more Star Wars films as Padme, just owning the screen. Then Black Swan hit in 2010, and boom—Oscar, Golden Globe, the works. She was the first actress born in the ‘80s to pull that off. Later, she picked up another Oscar nod for playing Jackie Kennedy in Jackie (2016). Not too shabby for a kid who just wanted some pizza.
Harvard, 2003—Cambridge was buzzing, the Red Sox still hadn’t broken the curse, and someone was snagging an Artium Baccalaureus in Psych. That’s not just your run-of-the-mill bachelor’s either; it’s one of those fancy Latin degrees that Harvard likes to hand out, making everyone else’s BA look a little basic. Psychology, though. That’s the study of why people do all the weird things they do—like, why you suddenly crave ice cream at 2 a.m., or why you can’t stop doomscrolling. This grad probably spent four years decoding brains, mapping out everything from Freud’s wildest theories to the endless debates about nature vs. nurture. And, come on, surviving Harvard? That’s not just about brains, you have to be tough. Finals, snowstorms, and all those Ivy League shenanigans—definitely not for the faint of heart. So yeah, walked out of Harvard in 2003, degree in hand, ready to psychoanalyze the world.
Honestly, Lolita (1997) is one of those movies that just stirs up controversy the second you bring it up. The whole plot centers around this middle-aged literature professor who becomes obsessed, like seriously obsessed, with a twelve-year-old girl named Lolita. He marries her mom just to get closer to her, and after the mom dies, he basically takes Lolita on this twisted road trip across America. The movie dives deep into manipulation, obsession, and the absolute mess of human desire, but you can’t shake off how uncomfortable the whole thing is. It’s got this weird blend of dark humor and disturbing reality, and even though it tries to be all artsy and thought-provoking, the subject matter is just… well, it’s a lot. Some people argue it’s a critique of obsession, others say it’s just exploitative. Either way, it’s not exactly a fun watch, and definitely not for everyone.
June 9, 1981
5′ 3″ (1.60 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Jerusalem, Israel
Yes, Aleph Millepied
Avner Hershlag and Surekha
44 years old