Natalie Portman's Early Career Through 1990s Throwback Photos

Vogue published a gallery of 21 vintage photos of Natalie Portman, tracing her early career from age 12 in 1994 through 2003. Born in Jerusalem, she moved to Long Island at age three. At 12, she auditioned for the lead in the off-Broadway musical Ruthless! but lost to Laura Bell Bundy; she and Britney Spears became understudies. Her big-screen debut was in Luc Besson's Léon (1994) alongside Jean Reno and Gary Oldman. She later starred in films leading to Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), which cemented her global stardom. The photos include red carpet events, premieres, and candid moments in New York, Paris, and London. Notable appearances include the Paris premiere of Léon, the New York premiere of Mighty Aphrodite, the MTV Movie Awards with Gabriel Byrne, and a screening of Star Wars with Ewan McGregor and King Charles. The gallery also shows her with Jake Gyllenhaal in 2002 and Claire Danes in 2002. Portman turned 45 on the date of publication.