Portman turned 12-years-old when on the set of "The Professional," where her drug-dealing father and the rest of her family are killed by crooked cops and … Natalie's first film credit was for Léon: The Professional, in 1994, where she had a starring role as a 13-year-old. "*** This video was originally uploaded April 27, 2011 and had 36,169 views. As we mentioned earlier, Natalie Portman was 13 when she was cast in the movie, and this was okay aside from one thing: her counterpart in the film was 21. Back then she lacked a bit of discipline being but a child. Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is only 12 years old, but is already familiar with the dark side of life: her abusive father stores drugs for corrupt police officers, and her mother neglects her. Watch: 11 Year-Old Natalie Portman's Audition Tape For 'Leon: The Professional' Kevin Jagernauth. Her parents were completely opposed to her starring in a film in which sexualized her, but allowed her to take on the role with changes to the script to further her acting career. Natalie was born Natalie Hershlag on June 9, 1981, in Jerusalem, Israel. Besson's first American film boasted a strong performance from Jean Reno, a striking debut by Natalie Portman, and a love-it-or-hate-it, over-the-top turn by Gary Oldman. The Professional's place in cinema history is secure as then-13-year-old Natalie Portman's first full-length film, five years before her turn in Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace. 39-year old Portman has been in the entertainment industry since 1993. This 1994 intelligent action movie kind of snuck up on me, but it is very well done, because of the script, the great directing by Luc Besson, and because of the excellent acting by Jean Reno, Natalie Portman (11 years old at the time), and Gary Oldman. After Léon: The Professional, Portman didn't have to go to auditions anymore. It was a turning point for the young actress. From the electrifying opening to the fatal finale, THE PROFESSIONAL is a nonstop crescendo of action and suspense. Portman commenced her acting career when she was 12 years old as she starred in Leon: The Professional. The 1994 film, titled Léon: The Professional, followed Natalie Portman as Mathilda, a 12-year-old girl who is taken in by a professional assassin after her family is murdered.. While the U.S. theatrical release depicted the relationship between Portman’s character, Mathilda, and Leon, played by Jean Reno, as being platonic in nature, the European version suggested something more. This is probably just an incredible personal accomplishment, but it's definitely inspiring for all young women and men. As the only friend of a hit man, the 13-year-old earned rave reviews and quickly landed additional big-screen parts. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégée and learns the assassin's trade. But Mathilda doesn't just want protection; she wants revenge. That’s right, Leonardo DiCaprio, who was cast as Romeo, was significantly older than Portman, and this caused the studio to take a step back and really evaluate the situation. https://www.celebritynetworth.com/.../actors/natalie-portman-net-worth Actress Natalie Portman even mentioned in her documentary that when she read the script for the film, it made her cry knowing that she had such an inappropriate role. When his next-door neighbors are murdered, Léon becomes the unwilling guardian of the family's sole survivor - 12-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman). No one saw this foul-mouthed 11-year-old coming when she burst onto the scene in Leon the Professional.A Harvard brainiac turned Hollywood darling, Natalie Portman is the girl that every aspiring actress hopes to model her career after and every guy wants to take home to meet mom and dad. https://www.thelist.com/173289/the-stunning-transformation-of-natalie-portman Natalie Portman was on the set of her very first movie when she turned 12 years old.. Léon: The Professional (French: Léon), titled Leon in the UK and Australia (and originally titled The Professional in the US), is a 1994 English-language French action-thriller film written and directed by Luc Besson.It stars Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, and Natalie Portman (in her film debut). Natalie Portman The Professional Deleted Scene The cut of the film released in theaters portrayed the two leads’ relationship as childlike; just two kids playing at home alone all day. Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman Watch all … Natalie Portman has opened up about being portrayed as a "Lolita figure" when she was growing up in the spotlight as a child star.. She is well-known for her roles in Star Wars as well as Closer. As ‘Léon: The Professional’ turns 25-years-old, we speak to costume designer Magali Guidasci about styling Natalie Portman in the cult classic. Natalie Portman is a famous figure in the entertainment industry. Léon was originally released in the U.S. in 1994 as The Professional , with 26 minutes cut in response to audience preview tests. About Natalie Portman. With Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello. Natalie Portman, Actress: Black Swan. She is Israeli-born on 9th June 1981. The Professional.” Natalie Portman is an American Actress, Producer, and director. Natalie Portman: 'Leon: The Professional' Audition (VIDEO) Yesterday, we saw the first trailer for "My Week With Marilyn," a period piece in which Michelle Williams plays Marilyn Monroe. Natalie Portman made her first professional performance in the off-Broadway musical “Ruthless” as an understudy for three weeks in 1993. Léon, a hit man in New York, becomes the unwilling custodian of Mathilda, a vengeful 12-year-old whose family was wiped out by a crooked DEA agent. It's almost certain to win her an Oscar nomination for Best Actress, a category in … Natalie Portman made her film debut in 1994’s The Professional. She is a professional Israeli-born American actress and director. Recounting her story, Portman stated she was "excited" as a 13-year-old to receive her first fan mail when the controversial movie The Professional opened in 1994. The actress got her start at age 13 in “The Professional,” where she depicted an orphaned teenage girl who expresses sexual feelings toward a much older man. The Oscar-winning actress, 39, appeared on an episode of the podcast Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, and talked about being sexualised at 12 years old in the film Léon: The Professional and Beautiful Girls two years later. Read here. Natalie Portman starred in Star Wars: Episode 1-The Phantom Menace and gained international recognition. Natalie Portman is the first person born in the 1980s to have won the Academy Award for Best Actress (for Black Swan (2010)). But I vividly remember seeing Portman in The Professional for the first time and thinking what a force of nature she was. 11/15/94: Actress Natalie Portman promotes her first film, "The Professional. Yet fame didn’t go to her head and she continued to live at home in Long Island, even while appearing on Broadway. 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