9) Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman was 12 when she made her debut in Léon: The Professional (1994). She played a kid caught up in danger and loss, but she made it feel real instead of staged. That role could’ve locked her into playing damaged kids, but Portman didn’t let that happen. She finished school, went to Harvard, and managed to keep acting without losing momentum. By the time Black Swan (2010) came around, she had already proven herself, but that role sealed it. She pushed herself to the limit, took home an Oscar, and reminded everyone why she’d been turning heads since she was a kid.
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Edited by Sangeeta Mathew