Thanks to roles in geek fare like Star Wars, V for Vendetta, and Garden State, the former child actress from Long Island is what Winona Ryder was a generation ago-a perpetually pixified princess with an edge.

The allegedly shy Portman grew up in Syosset and began acting off-Broadway as a teen, then made her big-screen debut at 13 in 1994's The Professional. After a slew of small-budget films, in the late '90s she became the nerd crush of choice with her role in the Stars Wars prequels. Portman later broke away from the sci-fi scene (and her good-girl image) to play a stripper in Closer, earning her Oscar nomination. Until 2003, Portman filmed most of her roles during the summer months so she could attend classes at Harvard. Although she habitually has garnered critical praise, her greatest triumph came with her Oscar win as the psychotic ballerina in Black Swan.

While you won't catch her posing on the cover of Maxim a la Jessica Alba, Portman's still a sex symbol and style icon. She's accumulated cred in arty indie films, and remains picky about her roles-and her image. The vegetarian Portman has been romantically linked with a long list of Hollywood bachelors, including Jake Gyllenhaal, and Hayden Christensen, but she and Black Swan choreographer Benjamin Millepied announced their engagement and her pregnancy in 2010. She had her son Aleph Portman-Millepied in 2011. [Image via Getty]