10 Unknown Actors Who Kicked Serious Ass In Major Films

5. Natalie Portman - Leon

When it comes to kid actors, it's always hit and miss. You could get a) that aggravating snot vessel in Anchorman 2 or you could get b) a Natalie Portman. You can say what you like about her now, but I'd wager there's very few that could knock her outstanding performance alongside Jean Reno and a plant in Leon. In a film about gangsters and hitmen you'd be forgiven for thinking the character of a little orphan girl would struggle to stand up and be counted but Portman's performance, alongside some incredible writing leaves you squirming with discomfort and awe at the chemistry between the film's protagonists. A particularly strong moment for the young actress is when she tells the hotel receptionist that she and Jean Reno's hitman are in fact a couple. She weaves dangerous, intelligent, vulnerable and childish into one line of dialogue that sets the tone for the rest of the film and increases its complexity ten-fold.