An actress who brings a timeless beauty and grace with a disarming approach to each of her roles, Natalie Portman has established herself as one of Hollywood's most talented and sought after young actresses, and is now using her celebrity to shine the spotlight on the impact that microloans can make in the lives of the severely poor in developing countries.

Ms. Portman makes frequent appearances on behalf of FINCA International, and was named its first Ambassador of Hope. She currently co-chairs the  Village Banking Campaign. Read Ms. Portman's remarks at the launch of the Village Banking Campaign, May 2, 2007 in New York, NY.

In 2004 and 2005 she traveled to Uganda, Guatemala, and Ecuador in her role as Ambassador of Hope for FINCA International, and currently serves as co-chair of FINCA’s Village Banking Campaign. She completed a documentary about FINCA Mexico in April 2007.

Ms. Portman was born in Jerusalem, Israel, and grew up in New York. She attended Syosset High School, and went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Harvard University.  She also pursued graduate studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Ms. Portman was nominated in 2005 for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the Mike Nichol’s directed movie “Closer,” and won the Golden Globe Award for that role. She currently has several movies scheduled to open in 2007.