The 2003 movie Natalie Portman "had to beg" to be cast in

The 2003 movie Natalie Portman "had to beg" to be cast in

At just 11 years old, Natalie Portman was selected to lead the thriller Léon: The Professional, which would mark her cinematic debut. It was a controversial role defined by her character’s intense friendship with the much older titular character, made even more questionable by the fact that director Luc Besson was in a relationship with Maïwenn Le Besco, at the time, which had begun when she was 15 and he was 31.  The film was an overwhelming ex…