Natalie Portman attends Netflix's 'May December' Los Angeles premiere at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on November 16, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Natalie Portman attends Netflix's 'May December' Los Angeles premiere at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on November 16, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Natasha Campos/Getty Images for Netflix.

Natalie Portman has been acting professionally for over 30 years and has appeared in some of the biggest franchises and most beloved films of all time.

Portman, who won an Oscar for 'Black Swan,' has appeared in such popular movies as 'Leon: The Professional,' 'Heat, 'V for Vendetta,' 'Garden State,' and 'Closer,' as well as playing Padmé Amidala in the 'Star Wars' prequel series, and as Jane Foster in three out of four of the 'Thor' movies.

Her new movie, 'May December,' which was directed by Todd Haynes and also stars Julianne Moore, was released in theaters on November 17th before premiering on Netflix December 1st.

In honor of her latest film, Moviefone is counting down the 20 best film's of Natalie Portman's career, including 'May December.'

Let's begin!


20. 'Thor: The Dark World' (2013)

Chris Hemsworth in 'Thor: The Dark World'
Chris Hemsworth in 'Thor: The Dark World'

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) fights to restore order across the cosmos… but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster (Portman) and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

Thor: The Dark World
Thor: The Dark World
"Delve into the darkness."
65
Audience
Release Nov 8, 2013Runtime 1h 52mBudget $170M

19. 'Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones' (2002)

Following an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala (Portman), Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) investigate a mysterious plot that could change the galaxy forever.

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
"A Jedi shall not know anger. Nor hatred. Nor love."
66
Audience
Release May 16, 2002Runtime 2h 22mBudget $120M

18. 'Cold Mountain' (2003)

In this classic story of love and devotion set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, a wounded Confederate soldier named W.P. Inman (Jude Law) deserts his unit and travels across the South, aiming to return to his young wife, Ada (Nicole Kidman), who he left behind to tend their farm. As Inman makes his perilous journey home, Ada struggles to keep their home intact with the assistance of Ruby (Renee Zellweger), a mysterious drifter sent to help her by a kindly neighbor.

Cold Mountain
Cold Mountain
"Find your way home."
69
Audience
Release Dec 24, 2003Runtime 2h 34mBudget $79M

17. 'Thor' (2011)

Against his father Odin's will, The Mighty Thor (Chris Hemsworth) - a powerful but arrogant warrior god - recklessly reignites an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth.

Thor
Thor
"Courage is immortal."
68
Audience
Release May 6, 2011Runtime 1h 55mBudget $150M

16. 'Hesher' (2010)

A young boy (Devin Brochu) has lost his mother and is losing touch with his father and the world around him. Then he meets Hesher (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who manages to make his life even more chaotic.

Hesher
Hesher
"Sometimes life gives you the finger and sometimes it gives you..."
68
Audience
Release Jan 22, 2010Runtime 1h 46mBudget $7M

15. 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace' (1999)

Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson in 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.'
(L to R) Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson in 'Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace.'

Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd), a young slave strong with the Force, is discovered on Tatooine. Meanwhile, the evil Sith have returned, enacting their plot for revenge against the Jedi.

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
"Every saga has a beginning."
66
Audience
Release May 19, 1999Runtime 2h 16mBudget $115M

14. 'Everyone Says I Love You' (1996)

A New York girl (Natasha Lyonne) sets her father up (Woody Allen) with a beautiful woman (Julia Roberts) in a shaky marriage while her half sister (Drew Barrymore) gets engaged.

Everyone Says I Love You
Everyone Says I Love You
64
Audience
Release Dec 6, 1996Runtime 1h 41mBudget $20M

13. 'Mars Attacks!' (1996)

A fleet of Martian spacecraft surrounds the world's major cities and all of humanity waits to see if the extraterrestrial visitors have, as they claim, "come in peace." U.S. President James Dale (Jack Nicholson) receives assurance from science professor Donald Kessler (Pierce Brosnan) that the Martians' mission is a friendly one. But when a peaceful exchange ends in the total annihilation of the U.S. Congress, military men call for a full-scale nuclear retaliation.

Mars Attacks!
Mars Attacks!
"Nice planet. We'll take it!"
64
Audience
Release Dec 13, 1996Runtime 1h 46mBudget $70M

12. 'Annihilation' (2018)

A biologist (Portman) signs up for a dangerous, secret expedition into a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don't apply.

Annihilation
Annihilation
"Fear what's inside."
65
Audience
Release Feb 23, 2018Runtime 1h 55mBudget $40M

11. 'Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith' (2005)

The evil Darth Sidious (Ian McDiarmid) enacts his final plan for unlimited power -- and the heroic Jedi Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) must choose a side.

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
"Every story has a hero. Every hero has a destiny. Every saga has an end."
75
Audience
Release May 19, 2005Runtime 2h 20mBudget $113M

10. 'Thor: Love and Thunder' (2022)

Natalie Portman in Marvel's 'Thor: Love and Thunder.'
Natalie Portman in Marvel's 'Thor: Love and Thunder.' Photo courtesy of Disney Studios.

After his retirement is interrupted by Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a galactic killer who seeks the extinction of the gods, Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi), and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Portman), who now wields Mjolnir as the Mighty Thor. Together they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher’s vengeance and stop him before it’s too late.

Thor: Love and Thunder
Thor: Love and Thunder
"The one is not the only."
64
Audience
80
Review
Release Jul 7, 2022Runtime 1h 59mBudget $250M

9. 'Beautiful Girls' (1996)

During a snowy winter in the small fictional town of Knight's Ridge, Massachusetts, a group of lifelong buddies hang out, drink and struggle to connect with the women who affect their decisions, dreams and desires.

Beautiful Girls
Beautiful Girls
"Good times never seemed so good."
67
Audience
Release Feb 9, 1996Runtime 1h 52mBudget $16M

8. 'Closer' (2004)

Two couples (Jude Law and Julia Roberts, Clive Owen and Portman) disintegrate when they begin destructive adulterous affairs with each other.

Closer
Closer
"If you believe in love at first sight, you never stop looking."
68
Audience
Release Dec 3, 2004Runtime 1h 44mBudget $27M

7. 'Jackie' (2016)

An account of the days of First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy (Portman), in the immediate aftermath of John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

Jackie
Jackie
65
Audience
Release Dec 2, 2016Runtime 1h 40mBudget $9M

6. 'Heat' (1995)

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.

Heat
Heat
"A Los Angeles crime saga."
79
Audience
Release Dec 15, 1995Runtime 2h 50mBudget $60M

5. 'May December' (2023)

Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry and Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo in 'May December.'
(L to R) Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry and Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo in 'May December.' Photo: Francois Duhamel / courtesy of Netflix.

Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple (Julianne Moore and Charles Melton) buckles under pressure when an actress (Portman) arrives to do research for a film about their past.

May December
May December
"Some roles are transformative."
66
Audience
65
Review
Release Dec 1, 2023Runtime 1h 57mBudget $20M

4. 'Black Swan' (2010)

A journey through the psyche of a young ballerina (Portman) whose starring role as the duplicitous swan queen turns out to be a part for which she becomes frighteningly perfect.

Black Swan
Black Swan
""I just want to be perfect.""
77
Audience
Release Dec 17, 2010Runtime 1h 48mBudget $13M

3. 'V for Vendetta' (2005)

In a world in which Great Britain has become a fascist state, a masked vigilante known only as “V” (Hugo Weaving) conducts guerrilla warfare against the oppressive British government. When V rescues a young woman (Portman) from the secret police, he finds in her an ally with whom he can continue his fight to free the people of Britain.

V for Vendetta
V for Vendetta
"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."
79
Audience
Release Mar 17, 2006Runtime 2h 12mBudget $54M

2. 'Léon: The Professional' (1994)

Léon (Jean Reno), the top hit man in New York, has earned a rep as an effective "cleaner". But when his next-door neighbors are wiped out by a loose-cannon DEA agent, he becomes the unwilling custodian of 12-year-old Mathilda (Portman). Before long, Mathilda's thoughts turn to revenge, and she considers following in Léon's footsteps.

Léon: The Professional
Léon: The Professional
"If you want the job done right, hire a professional."
83
Audience
Release Nov 18, 1994Runtime 1h 51mBudget $16M

1. 'Garden State' (2004)

Natalie Portman and Zach Braff in 'Garden State.'
(L to R) Natalie Portman and Zach Braff in 'Garden State.' Photo: Searchlight Pictures.

Andrew (Zach Braff) returns to his hometown for the funeral of his mother, a journey that reconnects him with past friends. The trip coincides with his decision to stop taking his powerful antidepressants. A chance meeting with Sam (Portman) - a girl also suffering from various maladies - opens up the possibility of rekindling emotional attachments, confronting his psychologist father (Ian Holm), and perhaps beginning a new life.

Garden State
Garden State
71
Audience
Release Aug 20, 2004Runtime 1h 42mBudget $2.5M