You guys, I totally forgot about Natalie Portman’s marriage drama. There’s just been so much marriage drama in the past four months!! Kevin Costner, Ariana Grande, Spongebob Sidepiece, Sofia Vergara, and on and on. I forgot (temporarily) that Natalie Portman’s husband Benjamin Millepied was outed as a big-time cheater. That happened in early June, when a French tabloid spilled all of the details about Millepied’s affair with 25-year-old Camille Etienne. The affair apparently lasted for months and Millepied was caught (by that French tabloid) in photos, going into some pied a terre for an assignation with Etienne.
Soon after the story broke (like, within hours), Natalie Portman went into damage-control mode and let it be known that the affair was over and she and Benjamin were working through it. Then Portman made a point of being photographed solo – but wearing her wedding ring – at a football game and a tennis match in Paris, and then the story just died for two months. Died… like Natalie and Benjamin’s marriage. According to Us Weekly, they’ve separated.
Natalie Portman and her husband, Benjamin Millepied, have separated after 11 years of marriage, Us Weekly can confirm.
“After news of his affair came out, they’ve been trying to work on their marriage but are currently on the outs,” an insider exclusively tells Us of Portman, 42, and Millepied, 46.
The estranged couple — who share son Aleph, 12, and daughter Amalia, 6 — renewed speculation about their status on their 11th wedding anniversary on Friday, August 4, when Portman was spotted without her wedding ring during an Angel City FC event in Sydney, Australia.
In June, rumors swirled that Millepied was having an affair with Camille Étienne, a 25-year-old climate activist. At the time, an insider told Us that Portman remained committed to her marriage despite the alleged infidelity.
“Natalie believes Benjamin’s affair was a brief and stupid liaison that means nothing to him,” the source exclusively told Us, adding that Portman was “humiliated” by the rumors. According to the source, Portman was “willing to see if she’s capable of rebuilding her trust” in Millepied to ensure that their kids don’t “grow up in a broken home.”
First off, Benjamin is such a douche. As everyone is quick to point out, his romantic history is pretty rough – he was living with girlfriend Isabella Boylston when he met and impregnated Natalie Portman, leaving Boylston in the lurch. Then fourteen years later, when he’s married and has two children with Portman, he’s slinking off and having affairs with 25-year-olds? Gross. Personally, I don’t find it weird that they’re separating or that Portman couldn’t get over his affair. The weird thing, to me, was that she tried to protect him initially and tried to save the marriage. Some things are unforgivable, some things you just can’t move past.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid, Cover Images.
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- North America Rights Only – Los Angeles, USA -20220327- Vanity Fair Oscar Dinner held at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California -PICTURED: Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied -PHOTO by: INSTARimages.com Disclaimer: This is an editorial, rights-managed image. Please contact INSTAR Images for licensing fee and rights information at sales@instarimages.com or call +1 212 414 0207. This image may not be published in any way that is, or might be deemed to be, defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Please consult our sales department for any clarification needed prior to publication and use. INSTAR Images reserves the right to pursue unauthorized users of this material. If you are in violation of our intellectual property rights or copyright you may be liable for damages, loss of income, any profits you derive from the unauthorized use of this material and, where appropriate, the cost of collection and/or any statutory damages awarded For images containing underage children: Be advised that some Countries may have restricted privacy laws against publishing images of underage children. Inform yourself! Underage children may need to be removed or have their face pixelated before publishing
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- Benjamin Millepied, Natalie Portman at L.A. Dance Project’s Annual Gala at Hauser & Wirth. Los Angeles, California – Friday October 19, 2019. Photograph: © Joe Sutter/PacificCoastNews. Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com,Image: 539743938, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Los Angeles Office (PCN): +1 310.822.0419 UK Office (Avalon): +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 sales@pacificcoastnews.com, Model Release: no, Credit line: Joe Sutter/PacificCoastNews / Avalon
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- BEVERLY HILLS, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – OCTOBER 16: Choreographer/dancer Benjamin Millepied and wife/actress Natalie Portman arrive at the L.A. Dance Project 2021 Gala – Unforgettable Evening Under The Stars held at The Pritzker Estate on October 16, 2021 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 638331908, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Benjamin Millepied, Natalie Portman, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied attends ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ – UK Gala Screening at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, England. UK. Tuesday 6th July 2022. -,Image: 705443554, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: NORESTRICTIONS, Model Release: no, Pictured: ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ – UK Gala Screening, Credit line: James Warren / Bang Showbiz / Avalon
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- Paris, FRANCE – Actress Natalie Portman puts on a brave face to watch the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Clermont Foot 63 at the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris, France. Natalie and her husband Benjamin Millepied are in the headlines after it was revealed that Benjamin had an extramarital affair! Pictured: Natalie Portman BACKGRID USA 3 JUNE 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – Natalie Portman set aside her personal drama to enjoy a gripping sporting spectacle today when she was pictured smiling happily during an appearance at the French Open – amid reports that her husband of 11 years has been having an affair with a younger woman. The Oscar-winning actress, 41, looked in great spirits as she watched Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff the quarter final match in Paris, despite a turbulent week that has thrown her personal life into the center of a furious scandal. Wearing a pretty print mini dress and a £690 Dior straw hat to keep cool in the sizzling temperatures, Natalie sat next to a male friend, with whom she enjoyed an animated conversation. Pictured: Natalie Portman BACKGRID USA 7 JUNE 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Dede / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – Natalie Portman set aside her personal drama to enjoy a gripping sporting spectacle today when she was pictured smiling happily during an appearance at the French Open – amid reports that her husband of 11 years has been having an affair with a younger woman. The Oscar-winning actress, 41, looked in great spirits as she watched Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff the quarter-final match in Paris, despite a turbulent week that has thrown her personal life into the center of a furious scandal. Wearing a pretty print mini dress and a £690 Dior straw hat to keep cool in the sizzling temperatures, Natalie sat next to a male friend, with whom she enjoyed an animated conversation. Pictured: Natalie Portman BACKGRID USA 7 JUNE 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Paris, FRANCE – Natalie Portman set aside her personal drama to enjoy a gripping sporting spectacle today when she was pictured smiling happily during an appearance at the French Open – amid reports that her husband of 11 years has been having an affair with a younger woman. The Oscar-winning actress, 41, looked in great spirits as she watched Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff the quarter-final match in Paris, despite a turbulent week that has thrown her personal life into the center of a furious scandal. Wearing a pretty print mini dress and a £690 Dior straw hat to keep cool in the sizzling temperatures, Natalie sat next to a male friend, with whom she enjoyed an animated conversation. Pictured: Natalie Portman BACKGRID USA 7 JUNE 2023 BYLINE MUST READ: Best Image / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Natalie Portman Spotted At The French Open In Paris Featuring: Natalie Portman Where: Paris, France When: 07 Jun 2023 Credit: Abaca Press/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
The telegraphing through wedding rings is so weird to me, honestly. Celebrities are a *special* bunch.
Aside from that, sorry for Natalie and her daughters, especially. Their dad cheated on their mom. That can really hurt their self worth—leaving them to wonder if any man can be trusted or making them willing to put up with anything to keep a (worthless) man. Hopefully that’s not the case.
Yes, can confirm. My father didn’t leave my mother. He ended the affair and they worked it out and stayed together. I was around 21 when it happened so not that young, but honestly, it still does create some trust issues. Luckily I got past those too and was able to re-forge my bond with my Dad and forgive him. I figured if my mother could, so could I. She was the real victim. My siblings and I were all basically adults when it happened (though I had been in high school when it started).
But there is a difference between a one-time cheater and a serial cheater. My father wasn’t the latter. Portman’s husband is.
I don’t think she was protecting him as the goal. I think she was trying to protect her children from the emotional damage of a public affair and fallout. Trying to maintain normalcy for them. But if it doesn’t work it doesn’t work. She knows who she married. He covets beauty and youth. Sounds like he is a vapid man that is throwing away a family for tighter thighs. He’s a douch nozzle.
I agree like I do wonder if she needed a minute to process everything (she seems to be a deliberate and measured person) and wanted the time before putting out an announcement that anything was changing
I think it was just to calm the waters publicly before leaving him. It would have been wall to wall coverage if she immediately filed for divorce.
Instead she pretended they were going to try and repair things to throw water on the story. Now, a few months later, they separate and it’s basically old news.
If that was her strategy, it worked. People don’t care as much as they would have if it had been allowed to grow right when the affair news hit.
ETA: If she is in fact leaving him, she has to put that out there now so it dies down by the time she has to do press for her new movie. She’s expected to be a contender this award season.
Say it once, say it 1000 times: if you get him by cheating you lose him by cheating. The only thing shocking in all of this is that she’s surprised
I don’t even think that’s necessarily true–I’ve seen some relationships that started off as affairs and have lasted (so far lol)–but it just blows my mind that women like Nat never think that he *might* do it to her too. Some men are just too cowardly to leave a bad relationship and others are chronic cheaters. Ben is clearly the latter.
The situations I’ve seen where that happened, there wasn’t a long term deceiving the spouse thing. It was someone very unhappy in the marriage who met someone who made them realize they could have a better life. Sometimes some really dumb behavior and people always get hurt, but it wasn’t some always sneaking around garbage.
So she met him when he was with someone else and now he is cheating on her . Who would ever think that could happen. I feel sorry for the children. She knew who and what she was marrying.
If he will do it with you, he will do it to you.
When you get into a relationship with a man who is cheating on his girlfriend with you, you have to expect it to happen again sooner or later. I’m sorry only for the children.
I’ve figured out that the men who stray typically do so with someone at LEAST 20 years younger. Even men who are single and ‘of a certain age’ end up dating/marrying someone at LEAST 20 years younger. This is obviously not a scientific fact, but every time I see stories like this, I do the math and bingo! 20 years. Gross.
Once a cheater, always a cheater.
“When a man marries his mistress he creates an immediate job vacancy.”
@ N2NY, what a perfectly, succinct statement.
Small thing: at least it wasn’t a dancer he was having an affair with so that there’d be a power imbalance as well.
What an idiot though. His association with her definitely boosted his career as an artist, but only to a certain point and then he moves on.
I think he had a movie that he directed that came out at Cannes and she was trying to play down the affair to save face for him. But girl has obviously been done for a while.
Edit: she had a movie at Cannes and really is gunning for an Oscar nom. Benjamin had a movie come out later.
We haven’t seen a lot of her lately and she will definately be in come back single lady mode.
Was she really trying to save the marriage? or was she waiting for the noise to die down and do it on somewhat of her own terms? Even though a cheating husband is not on her own terms.
she may have been waiting for the noise to die down but I’m pretty sure that there was a story about him being seen with yet another woman about a month after they announced they were working on their marriage, so this announcement doesn’t surprise me at all
I wonder if she was just trying to make the split seem as nondramatic and nonreactionary as possible? Like she probably knew she was done months ago but by waiting a few months for the talk of his cheating to quiet down it kind of took the wind of out of the gossip sails, so to speak.
Yes, I think she was trying to save face and as you said, let the talk about his cheating quit down and hope that people forget. Also, not take the focus off her movie she is gunning for an Oscar.
If anyone believes this is the only time he’s cheated during their marriage I have a lovely tower in Paris I’d like to sell you.
You know how it is in Hollywood, cheating is mostly tolerated unless you get publicly caught…
Oof, I feel so bad for Portman. It feels like I grew up with her in an odd way (I’m 40). I think the part in the article that hit the worst was the humiliation. I’m sure this has to really dig. I won’t judge how she got with her hubby. Ain’t no telling how all of that worked out and what she was told but I would fully expect my husband to be faithful. 12 year relationship gone over infidelity is not easy.
I always thought I liked Natalie, turns out I just really liked Padme.
I don’t watch her movies & did know how she needed up with Benjamin until he cheated on her.
Poor kids, it’s never easy for them.
She’s been in Australia this week for the Women’s World Cup. She was papped not wearing her wedding ring a few days ago, which grabbed headlines and seems to have prompted this news article. However, some reports said her kids and husband were with her …. eh, who knows. She’s due to speak at an event next week in New Zealand. I assume when it was scheduled she thought the US team would still be playing in the World Cup? I won’t be shocked if she pulls out of such a public event.
How you get into it, is how you will get out of it, once a cheater…oh well, next.
There was a story awhile back about a couple who go into a screaming match in the attorneys office over the prenuptial agreement. People were saying it was ScarJo and husband number 2, but I think it was there two.
I don’t think Natalie was saving face, she was trying to see about her prenup and what it’s gonna cost her and since they spend more time in Paris than they do the US, how would the laws work in her favor.
Natalie might think she is a smart person, but her lawyers and other people around her are smarter.
Didn’t this man cheat with Natalie on talented ballerina Isabella Boylston?
Yes he did .
Why would Natalie be humiliated her husband had an affair? Is it because she was once his mistress and now that her husband has also cheated on her she feels foolish for ever sleeping with a married man or is she humiliated because of her vanity?
She’s always been keen to present a perfect image (sort of like Gwyneth). This breaks that illusion a bit. I assume that’s where the feeling of humiliation comes from. I don’t think any woman should feel embarrassed though. It’s not their fault if the guy is a turd. She might have known he was a turd, but she didn’t make him that way. I don’t even like her that much, and I feel this way.
Sad for her but it is pretty true that you lose them the way you got them.
She’s a Roman Polanski supporter, so her tolerance for bad behavior must be high. But maybe it’s different when you’re the one being treated badly.
Now Ms. Portman has long any credibility in my book. IF you support Allen, Depp or Polanski, you have no moral standing.
The list is shockingly long re; Polanski. At least Emma Thompson has recanted.
Actually she’s one of the few people who has said she regrets signing the petition in support of him and it was a mistake. I don’t know how she feels beyond that, but at least she owned up to it and regrets it.
I imagine this split took a while because they have 2 young kids together.
BothSidesNow, I totally agree with you.
Newt, I think you have something there. I think 20 years is the minimum– it can go to 25, 30 or even 60 years (as in Jimmy Page’s poet girlfriend who is 26 to his 86). There really is no limit for how low men can go.
He’s been cheating on her for over a decade. He’s scummy.
If he will cheat with you (Natalie), he will cheat on you (Natalie).
I used to be hardcore break up over cheating, but so many people do it I don’t know if I would break up anymore if it happened once or twice in a lifelong relationship. Three times probably. Four times, absolutely.