Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied finalize divorce: Report
Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied have ended their 11-year-long marriage, with the divorce being finalized last month in France. The couple, who met on the set of Black Swan (2010) and married in 2012, share two children, Aleph and Amalia. Portman's representative confirmed the news to PEOPLE. Per reports, the actor faced a tough time after reports of Millepied's extramarital affair emerged in May 2023, but her friends helped her through the ordeal.
Why does this story matter?
According to reports, the former couple held their secret wedding in California's coastal town of Big Sur. They had a Jewish wedding and were married "under a chuppah [a traditional Jewish wedding structure] made of twigs and wood," said an old report by Life & Style magazine. Their wedding celebrations were attended by several celebrities including former child actor Macaulay Culkin, Rashida Jones, and Ivanka Trump, among others.
They are now focusing on co-parenting their kids
The couple has since focused on their children's well-being and maintaining a united front as a family. An insider revealed to PEOPLE that Portman's "biggest priority has been ensuring a smooth transition for her children." A source, in June 2023, told PEOPLE the French choreographer was trying to get Portman "to forgive him and keep their family together." Things of course took a different course.
'I have no desire to contribute to it': Portman
A friend of the couple shared that the 42-year-old actor had hoped her marriage would last forever but is now at peace with the situation and focused on their new normal as a family. She had filed for divorce in July last year. Both Millepied and Portman have remained intensely private about their marriage, with Portman telling Vanity Fair in February, "It's terrible, and I have no desire to contribute to it."
Their professional commitments amid divorce
Despite the personal challenges, both Portman and Millepied have continued to focus on their careers. Millepied (46) choreographed Dune: Part Two, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya in the lead, while Portman has been involved in various projects, including promoting her critically acclaimed performance in May December. She is currently shooting the Guy Ritchie-directed film Fountain of Youth and preparing for the release of her limited TV series Lady in the Lake.
