Natalie Portman Says Mike Nichols Saved Her Career

In a new interview with New York Magazine, actress Natalie Portman  relates a story about the late, great Mike Nichols whom she worked with on "Closer"--getting rave reviews for her performance-- saved her career

Portman was cast as Padme Amidala in George Lucas' Star Wars Prequel trilogy kicking off with The Phantom Menace, and ending with 2005's Revenge Of The Sith.

"Star Wars had come out … and everyone thought I was a horrible actress. I was in the biggest-grossing movie of the decade, and no director wanted to work with me. Mike wrote a letter to  Anthony Minghella and said, ‘Put her in Cold Mountain, I vouch for her.’ And then Anthony passed me on to Tom Tykwer, who passed me on to the Wachowskis., who passed me on to the Wachowskis."

After the Prequel trilogy wrapped, Portman got raves for her role in "V for Vendetta" and did a few other films before her Oscar-winning turn in "Black Swan" and her more well-regarded blockbuster work in the Thor film series.