Natalie Portman tends to play vulnerable yet outwardly confident women, who are all strong in their own way. Her extensive career in TV, movies, and theatre has lent her many opportunities to play determined and quick-witted characters that immediately endear the audience to them.

A character doesn't have to be likable to be strong or interesting, but it is easier to get the audience to root for them if the character is engaging or has a relatable storyline. Portman's many characters are usually multi-faceted, making them fascinating to watch, and most have qualities that make them immediately likable to the viewer.

Updated on July 7th, 2022 by Colin McCormick: Natalie Portman returns to one of her biggest roles as Jane Foster in the MCU's Thor: Love and Thunder. The movie looks to be reworking the character in some big ways which could make for an even more likable version of Jane. This adds to Portman's amazing career filled with complex characters, from the flawed ones that are hard to cheer for to the inspiring heroes who fans have loved.

Lena - Annihilation (2018)

Lena from Annihilation dressed in combat gear in a forest.
  • Available on Paramount+ 

Lena is a biology professor investigating an alien entity called The Shimmer and its effects on the surrounding areas. She is extremely intelligent, and her desire to save her husband from The Shimmer makes her a likable hero. However, Lena's psychology and hidden motivations make her less likable, for example, when she cheats on her husband and destroys her marriage, along with her and her husband's sense of self.

RELATED: Natalie Portman's 10 Best Movies, According To Metacritic

Portman's performance is mesmerizing to watch as she investigates The Shimmer. She adds a creepy undertone to the role to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, wondering about the ultimate fate of Lena, The Shimmer, and the world around them.

Lucy Cola - Lucy In The Sky (2019)

Natalie Portman in Lucy in the Sky
  • Available on Fubo TV, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand

Loosely based on a true story, Lucy in the Sky stars Portman as Lucy Cola, an astronaut who returns to Earth after a space mission and has a hard time fitting back into regular life. As she loses touch with reality, she does increasingly destructive things like betray her husband and target another woman out of jealousy.

Lucy is a complex character who struggles with an experience that very few people can understand. But watching her spiral out of control in destructive, cruel, and even dangerous ways makes it hard to get behind her.

Nina Sayers - Black Swan (2010)

Nina from Black Swan dressed as the white swan looking down
  • Available on Prime Video and Hulu

Nina puts herself through major emotional and psychological trauma to achieve perfection in her ballet career, forcing herself to break out of her weak White Swan persona to truly embody the seductive Black Swan. Nina becomes more passionate, but takes things to the extreme in her pursuit of perfection, hurting those around her, both emotionally and physically.

Nina isn't meant to be likable in the traditional way, as the film is centered around her mental health and the destruction she causes to those around her. However, by making other characters appear worse than the protagonist - in this case, her abusive mother and creepy ballet director - Nina is made to be more likable by comparison, despite the terrible things she does.

Padme Amidala - Star Wars Franchise (1999, 2002 & 2005)

Padme Amidala from Star Wars holding a gun up to the sky
  • Available on Disney+ 

Padme is an idealist and "defender of truth," trying to right the wrongs in the galaxy and preserve democracy, despite the rise of the evil Empire. Padme is compassionate, loyal, and knows how to use her intelligence to get things done.

Although she is one of the strongest characters in the franchise, Padme got worse over the course of the Star Wars films, eventually losing her strength and dying of sadness. Fans are divided over the Star Wars prequels, but their popularity has been on the rise in recent years, so perhaps fans could find more likable qualities in Padme with the benefit of hindsight.

Anne Boleyn - The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

Anne Boleyn from The Other Boleyn Girl looking at the camera
  • Available on Showtime, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand

Anne Boleyn and her sister Mary are the focus of The Other Boleyn Girl, a retelling of Henry the Eighth's second wife and her downfall. Manipulated by men who used her to gain power, Anne could be seen as a sympathetic character, especially in the beginning when she tried to elope with her true love, Henry Percy, but was denied this right by her family. However, Anne soon gets power-hungry ideas, and her downfall could just as easily be attributed to her as to her family.

RELATED: Natalie Portman's 10 Best Non-Star Wars Movies, According To Ranker

Anne Boleyn is prominently featured in the musical SIX, where her story is explained in a comedic way, but The Other Boleyn Girl truly explores the depths to which Anne was manipulated, as well as her own hubris in trying to seduce the king. Audiences may admire Anne's tenacity and audaciousness, as well as her impact on British history as a whole.

Jane Hammond - Jane Got A Gun (2015)

Jane from Jane Got A Gun holding a gun.
  • Available to rent on Youtube

Jane Got A Gun is a Western film that, despite mixed reviews and a chaotic production timeline, showcases Portman's committed and passionate acting ability. Jane's husband antagonizes a group of outlaws, and it is up to Jane and her alcoholic ex-boyfriend to stop them.

Jane is a good shot and a great hero, striving to protect her home against the outlaws that want to tear it down. The movie may not satisfy all fans - as its score currently stands at 43% on Rotten Tomatoes - but most viewers can agree that characters such as Jane become more likable as the story goes on and their motivations become clearer. Jane stands for strength and justice, endearing the audience to her.

Grace Cahill - Brothers (2009)

Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman Brothers (cropped)
  • Available on Starz, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand

Brothers is a very underrated drama featuring terrific work from the talented cast. Portman plays Grace Cahill, a woman whose soldier husband (Tobey Maguire) is supposedly killed in action. As her brother-in-law (Jake Gyllenhaal) gets closer to Grace and her family while helping out, the relationship grows more complicated when her husband returns.

Grace is a good person trying her best to deal with a very hard situation. She makes one small and very human mistake which fills her with guilt yet continues to try to make things better. There are no evil characters in the story, but out of the main character, she is the most sympathetic.

Jackie Kennedy - Jackie (2016)

Jackie Kennedy from Jackie wearing a red coat and pearls
  • Available to rent on Apple TV

Portman is transformed into Jackie Kennedy, looking just like her real-life counterpart, in this 2016 biopic. Her performance is at its best when Jackie is solemn and filled with grief, mulling over the events of her husband's death and wondering how the world will perceive her in the aftermath. Jackie's anger and grief are evident throughout the movie, eliciting sympathy from the audience as she loses control over her life.

The likability of the character is somewhat weighed down by the dour tone of the film, but Portman's performance elevates it and makes Jackie sufficiently relatable in her grief.

Alice - Closer (2004)

Alice in a pink wig talking to Larry in Closer.
  • Available to rent on Apple TV

The drama closer is an intimate look at the romantic relationships and infidelities surrounding four people. Alice is a young woman in a relationship when she finds out her partner is having an affair and struggles to overcome the grief.

RELATED: Natalie Portman's 10 Best Movies, According To Letterboxd

Similar to Brothers, Portman is part of an ensemble of flawed and human characters and comes out as the most likable of them all. Alice is brave enough to confront those uncomfortable truths in front of her and stands up for herself, but she is also a heartbroken person who wants love in her life.

Lauren - Heat (1995)

Natalie Portman looking through a car window in Heat
  • Available on AMC+, Fubo TV, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand

Portman has a smaller role in the large ensemble of Michael Mann's Heat, playing Lauren, the stepdaughter of Detective Vincent Hanna. Though she is not part of the main cops and robbers storyline, Lauren stands out as one of the few innocent characters in the movie.

She is a young girl with a lot of pain in her life which makes her a very tragic and grounded character in this crime epic. Even with the more exciting elements of the story, Lauren is a character audience grow to care for, worry about, and hope finds the help she needs.

Molly Mahoney - Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Molly from Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium smiling over the counter at someone
  • Available on HBO, HBO Max, DIRECTV and Spectrum on Demand

Molly is an employee at the magical toy shop, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, run by Edward Magorium. Her dream is to become a composer and concert pianist, and her lively and compassionate personality makes her very likable. At times, she doubts her abilities, but with the help of her friends, she is able to restore her faith in herself and take over the running of the toy shop effectively.

Flawed characters that doubt themselves are far more interesting than those who are easily able to overcome challenges, and Molly's self-doubt is intriguing to the audience. The film is aimed at a very young audience, but Molly's character development is easily relatable for any viewer.

Evey - V For Vendetta (2005)

Evey from V For Vendetta with a shaved head, looking at the camera
  • Available on HBO Max

Adapted from Alan Moore's graphic novelV for Vendetta follows V, an anarchist leading a revolution via terrorist acts, and his helper, Evey, who gets caught up in his mission after he rescues her from the secret police.

Portman's commitment to the role helps to sell the terror and uncertainty in Evey's journey, especially the hair shaving scene where her heartbreak is evident. Her trauma and abusive past make the audience sympathetic towards her immediately, and although she takes part in terrorist activities, the audience is on her side throughout the film, as they recognize she is trying to make the world a better place.

Jane Foster - Thor Franchise (2011, 2013 & 2022)

Jane Foster in Thor looking surprised at something
  • Available on Disney+ 

Jane Foster is an astrophysicist in the Thor franchise, appearing in Thor and Thor: The Dark World. Jane is a dedicated and intelligent scientist, refusing to back down when she faces opposition. While she is awkward in some social settings, she is confident while talking about science, even recognizing how Asgardian technology works.

Thor and Jane are one of the most popular romances in the MCU and Thor appears to be totally devoted to her, tearing up when he learns of her death in the Snap. Fans seemed to click with Jane, admiring her determined and likable personality and will enjoy seeing Jane in the next film in the series, Thor: Love and Thunder.

Sam - Garden State (2004)

Sam laughing in Garden State
  • Available to rent on Apple TV

The indie comedy Garden State stars Zach Braff as a young man who returns to his hometown for his mother's funeral. While there, he meets a young woman named Sam (Portman) who helps him confront the pain and aimlessness of his life.

Sam is a quirky and hilarious character who is charming even when she is being truly bizarre. Her compassion for people she just meets is very endearing and her openness about her own struggles helps Andrew to heal.

Mathilda - Léon The Professional (1994)

Mathilda from Leon the Professional crying
  • Available on Netflix and Hulu

Mathilda is taken into the care of a hitman, Léon, after her family is murdered by DEA agents. She wants to avenge her family and begs Léon to teach her his hitman skills, which he does in exchange for Mathilda running errands for him. Many critics praised Portman's performance as "striking" for Mathilda's quick-witted personality and ruthlessness while dispatching enemies at Léon's side.

One of the behind-the-scenes facts about Léon the Professional is that Portman was originally turned down for the role of Mathilda as she was too young, but happily, she was chosen for the role due to the emotional depth in her acting.

NEXT: 10 Best Directors Natalie Portman Worked With