Natalie Hershlag was born on June 9, 1981, in Jerusalem, to Jewish parents with roots in Poland, Russia, Austria, and Romania. She is the only child of Shelley Stevens, an Ohio-born artist, and Avner Hershlag, an Israeli-born gynecologist. … See more

Six months after Ruthless! ended, Hershlag auditioned for and secured a leading role in Luc Besson's action drama Léon: The Professional (1994). She adopted her paternal grandmother's maiden name, Portman, a… See more

Portman, who is an advocate for animal rights, became a vegetarian at age eight; the decision came after she witnessed a demonstration of laser surgery on a chicken while attending a medical conference with her father. … See more