Scarlett versus Natalie
Just the Facts
Natalie Portman
Birth name: Natalie Hershlag
Born: June 9, 1981, in Jerusalem
Beginnings: Started taking dancing lessons at 4; dreamed of dancing on Broadway. Was discovered at a Long Island pizza parlor by an agent for Revlon who wanted her to model. Portman turned it down, preferring to be an actress. She spent her holidays at theater camps. In 1994, Portman auditioned for Luc Bessons thriller The Professional. Initially turned down, she auditioned again and won the role of a streetwise orphan girl who befriends an assassin (Jean Reno). She took her grandmothers maiden name as her stage name. (Dave Hogan / Getty Images)
Scarlett Johansson
Born: Nov. 22, 1984, in New York City
Beginnings: The actress has stated that her mother is a film buff; Johansson began her training by attending and eventually graduating in 2002 from the Professional Childrens School. Her mother took her on several auditions; she made her film debut in Rob Reiners 1994 flop North.
Winner: Portman, because she was the female lead and received good notices for her scrappy performance. (Marcus Brandt / AFP / Getty Images)
Education
Portman was a straight-A student who event-skipped the premiere of Star Wars: Episode I in 1999 so she could study for her high school finals. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in psychology in 2003 she was Alan Dershowitzs research assistant and did postgraduate studies at Hebrew University in Jerusalem in 2004. Two years ago, she was a guest lecturer at a Columbia University course in terrorism and counterterrorism. Shes bilingual in Hebrew and English and has studied French, Japanese, German and Arabic.
Johansson attended high school.
Winner: A no-brainer here Portman (Shaun Curry / Associated Press)
Awards: Portman
Nomination highlights:
Golden Globe for supporting actress for 1999s Anywhere but Here
Oscar and BAFTA nominations for supporting actress for 2004s Closer
Awards:
Teen Choice Awards, Choice Movie Actress: drama-action adventure for 2002s Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Golden Globe for best supporting actress for Closer
National Board of Review for best acting by an ensemble for Closer
San Diego Film Critics Society Award for supporting actress for Closer
The Constellation Awards, best female performance in a 2006 science fiction film, TV movie or miniseries for V for Vendetta (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Awards: Johansson
Nomination highlights:
BAFTA nomination for best actress in lead role for 2003s “Girl With a Pearl Earring
Broadcast Film Critics Assn. Award for supporting actress for 2003’s Lost in Translation
Golden Globe nominations for best actress in a musical or comedy for Lost in Translation, best actress in a drama for Girl With a Pearl Earring, best actress in a drama for 2004s A Love Song for Bobby Long and best actress in a supporting role for 2005s Match Point
Awards:
BAFTA for best actress in a leading role for Lost in Translation
Boston Society of Film Critics Award for best actress in Lost in Translation
Hasty Pudding Theatricals, woman of the year for 2007
Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. Award, new generation award in 2004
Toronto Film Critics Assn. Award for supporting performance for 2001s Ghost World
Venice Film Festival, upstream prize for Lost in Translation
Winner: Portman. Johansson has actually won more awards, but Portman did win the Golden Globe for best actress and has an Oscar nomination under her belt. (Dave Hogan / Getty Images)
Causes
Portman:
A vegetarian since she was a child, Portman has been a lifelong advocate for animal rights and wont eat animal products or wear fur, feathers or leather. All of my shoes are from Target and Stella McCartney, she has said. Last year, she and Jack Hanna went to Rwanda to film a documentary, Gorillas on the Brink, and she also found time to launch her own vegan footwear.
Johansson:
Shes a global ambassador for the aid and development confederation Oxfam and a supporter of Barack Obama. She has campaigned for the Democratic presidential hopeful and recently appeared in the music video Yes We Can, which was inspired by Obamas speech after the New Hampshire primary.
Winner: A tie, but anyone who loves animals has a slight edge. (John MacDougall / AFP / Getty Images)
Men
Portman:
Shes been linked with cuties Gael Garcia Bernal and Jake Gyllenhaal, as well as Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine and singer-actor Lukas Haas, and reportedly has dated Nat Rothschild. She was also seen at last years U.S. Open with former male model Nathan Bogle.
Johansson:
Shes been linked with numerous men, including Derek Jeter, Benicio Del Toro, Jared Leto, Justin Timberlake and Josh Hartnett. She is currently dating Definitely Maybe star Ryan Reynolds but has denied rumors that they are engaged. She has stated that she doesnt believe in monogamy but is not promiscuous. She even gets tested for HIV twice a year and has said its part of being a decent human being.
Winner: A tie both have dated their share of winners and losers. (Hermann J. Knippertz / Associated Press)
So who is the fairest of them all?
Portman
She tops Johansson in five of the categories, with Johansson winning one and the two tying in three. (Sean Gallup / Getty Images)
