While both actresses could likely command top dollar for an on-screen catfight, both Michelle Williams and Natalie Portman are lending their claws for the sake of high art. The stars, along with controversial film director Roman Polanski, have collaborated with Francesco Vezzoli, an Italian artist who specializes in faux advertising campaigns. This time around, Vezzoli is making commentary on dramatic fragrance ads that feature stylized short films with A-list actors and directors (like Nicole Kidman for Chanel and Charlize Theron for Dior.) Portman and Williams star in Greed, which tells the tale of a villainous blonde Williams coveting raven-haired Portman’s precious bottled scent, resulting in romp on a hotel suite floor. In released stills, we can see the Academy Award-winning Polanski directing Williams on a stealth entrance and Portman on the perfect angle at which to rip out the Brokeback Mountain star’s hair. The film, is supposed to be screened on February 6th at Rome’s Gagosian Galler. Reps for the gallery have been contacted to confirm that the stars and director will attend. Thanks to CeleBuzz for this info!

Your average Hollywood star is often busy with: pictorials, press roundtables, parties. But saving gorillas? Natalie Portman heads off to the Rwanda’s rainforests to find and save rare mountain gorillas on the brink of extinction in an Emmy-nominated series, Saving A Species: Gorillas on the Brink on Animal Planet. In this edition, Portman of the Star Wars fame journeys deep into Rwanda’s rainforest in search of the rare mountain gorilla. Their numbers are dwindling and their survival depends on a committed conservation effort. World-renowned animal expert and conservationist Jack Hanna is Natalie’s guide as we follow their trek to learn more about this amazing endangered species. Powerful yet fragile, full of life yet on the brink of extinction, the mountain gorilla is an often misunderstood animal. Despite its large, intimidating appearance, the gorilla is uncannily human-like in the way it interacts and takes care of its young. Victims of poaching and massacred over the decades, they now number in the mere hundreds in the mountains of Central Africa. The mountain gorillas were the focus of famed conservationist Dian Fossey’s research, whose legacy continues to this day with ongoing research, the availability of veterinary services and international awareness. The show premieres on Sunday, January 11 at 8 p.m. and encores on Monday, January 12 at 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Shoe4Africa has been collecting used running shoes and organising races since 1995, and the shoes which are donated are given away to participants as prizes as well being raffled off. The charity is endorsed by celebrities such as Paula Radcliffe and Natalie Portman who have both donated shoes to the Kibera project. Shoe4Africa is a non profit organisation which promotes social empowerment, health initiatives and AIDS awareness. As well as collecting and giving away used running shoes, the charity organises sporting events and training, and offers HIV testing and information to anybody who takes part in the races and games. By partnering with some of Africa’s most beloved running stars, Shoe4Africa has been able to reach communities that have historically resisted traditional HIV/AIDS initiatives. You can send your own shoes to the project, click here… Which gives you the perfect excuse to feel good about yourself, and of course, buy some more!

Check out this video of Natalie Portman promoting VoteForChange.com, which she taped while visiting her grandma in Cincinnati, Ohio. Thanks to JustJared for this find!

Ask Natalie Portman about her love life, and she’ll shut you down. But mention microfinance, and she’ll gab for hours. “People care so much more about who I’m dating,” says Portman, who has starred in films from The Other Boleyn Girl to Stars Wars. “We have such an unwarranted spotlight on us.” Diverting attention toward a cause “as opposed to talking about fashion,” she says, “is a nice way to dissipate this over interest in people who aren’t that interesting.” Anyone who has met Portman knows she’s no dummy. The actress, 27, is erudite and thoughtful. In 2003, she graduated from Harvard University with a degree in psychology. That same year, she connected with FINCA International (the Foundation for International Community Assistance), which provides microloans to women in developing countries. Her relationship with FINCA, which has a four-star rating (the highest) on the website CharityNavigator.org, has been more enduring than most Hollywood marriages. Much like Angelina Jolie and Bono, who set the celebrity gold standard on international philanthropy, Portman wants to draw attention to issues that aren’t particularly sexy.