Natalie Portman Wins Best Actress Oscar For 'Black Swan'

'I want to thank my parents for giving me the opportunity to work from such an early age,' Portman says as part of her acceptance speech.
By Shawn Adler

Natalie Portman onstage at the 2011 Academy Awards
Photo: AMPAS/ ABC

A visibly nervous and very pregnant Natalie Portman was near tears after winning the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Oscars Sunday night (February 27) for her performance as a ballerina on the verge of a mental breakdown in Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan."

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"Thank you. Thank you so much. This is insane!" the 29-year-old first-time Oscar winner enthused after taking the stage. "I truly and sincerely wish that the prize tonight was to get to work with my fellow nominees."

Although just the second-youngest of her co-nominees, Portman was previously nominated as Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Closer" and has been working with some of the best directors in the business since childhood — and in a rambling speech she nearly managed to thank all of them.

"Luc Besson, who gave me my first job [in 'The Professional']," Portman began. "['Closer' director] Mike Nichols, who has been my hero. And to everyone who's ever hired me!"

"Darren Aronofsky, you are a visionary," she added of her "Black Swan" director. "I am so blessed to have gotten to work for you."

Portman saved her most effusive gratitude, however, for her parents, who were in the audience, and especially for her fiancé Benjamin Millepied, with whom she is having a child.

"I want to thank my parents for giving me the opportunity to work from such an early age. My beautiful love, Benjamin, who has now given me my most important role of my life," she gushed. "Most importantly, my family, my friends, and my love, thank you so much."

Check out everything we've got on "Black Swan."

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