Natalie Portman making films with Paris Hilton's ex

LOS ANGELES: Natalie Portman is joining forces with a former boyfriend of Paris Hilton to produce movies. The Oscar-nominated actress' production company, handsomecharlie films, will develop projects with 1821 Pictures, a firm run by Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis. The 18-month arrangement calls for 1821 to provide overhead funds to handsomecharlie with the opportunity for the two companies to co-produce projects that come out of the partnership. Portman, a favorite to win the best actress Oscar on February 27 for her role as a ballerina in "Black Swan," has been slowly stepping into the producing realm. She made her debut as a producer on "Hesher," an indie drama that starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt, produced and starred in the recent box office champ "No Strings Attached," and is an executive producer on the family drama "The Other Woman," which IFC Films releases Friday. One of handsomecharlie's hot projects is the adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies." That project is set up Lionsgate and in search of a director. Portman is partnered at handsomecharlie with producer Annette Savitch. Latsis, who runs 1821 with Terry Douglas, was engaged to fellow socialite Hilton in 2005. Latsis and Douglas were executive producers on the Cameron Diaz thriller "The Box" and the Ricky Gervais comedy "The Invention of Lying," neither of which made much of an impact at the box office.