Natalie Portman was born in 1981. Ever since she appeared as Mathilda in the 1994 released movie, The Professional, it has been crystal clear that she is an actor with great talent. She was twelve when the The Professional was filmed. It is not fair to compare one actor to another, but comparing the talent of Ms. Portman to the talent of the very great actor Jody Foster, is an easy comparison to make. And for years, it appeared to be just a matter of time before Natalie Portman would claim an Oscar.
I don't believe that Oscars define who is the best in the film business. The Oscar winners are chosen by the strength of their popularity and by the marketing done for and by them. Merit sometimes plays a minor role. Ms. Portman talent is not minor but major and it was good to see that she won.
Item from ITN -- "Natalie Portman praises the other nominated actresses in her category when accepting her Academy Award. " See the video.