Natalie Portman wins a Golden Globe

Natalie Portman wins a Golden Globe... then goes on to nab an Oscar nomination. Not bad someone who managed to edge into the film industry at 12, ace all her classes while becoming an international star, graduate from Harvard, campaign for John Kerry, and retain her dignity while being absolutely stunning on screen. Though up against many talented, more seasoned actresses, her surprise win was well-deserved and, for many fans, long-awaited since her last nomination for Anywhere but Here. The role she played in Closer as a stripper was not only a break from the good-girl roles she's clung to since receiving perverted fan mail for her role in Leon, but was also a complex character that, given the wrong actress, could easily come off as slutty. Natalie Portman, however, carries her character's position with a strange power and dignity that fully illustrates her talent.