In June 2023, it was revealed that Natalie Portman’s then-husband, Benjamin Millepied, had an affair with a 25-year-old French woman named Camilla Etienne. Prior to this, in March, we learned that Natalie and Benjamin had quietly separated and finalized their divorce. They were married for 11 years and have two children together, a son Aleph, 13, and a daughter Amalia, 7. In mid-October, Benjamin was papped on the streets of Paris making out with a new woman. So, what does Natalie think about her ex’s PDA? A source tells Us Weekly that she’s not surprised at all. In fact, she expected him to move out “pretty quickly.”
“Natalie isn’t surprised that Benjamin has moved on because of how their relationship ended. She thought he’d move on pretty quickly,” a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly.
Millepied, 47, was seen passionately kissing a mystery woman in Paris on October 15. The PDA came seven months after the French dancer and Portman, 43, finalized their divorce in March. Us previously confirmed in August 2023 that Portman and Millepied had quietly split after 11 years of marriage. News of the breakup came two months after it was widely reported that Millepied had an affair with climate activist Camille Étienne.
“[Natalie] hopes Benjamin is happy,” the insider says, noting that Portman learned about the photos of Millepied locking lips with an unnamed woman shortly before they were made public last month.
A second source tells Us that Portman isn’t affected by Millepied’s romantic decisions.
“Benjamin’s dating life doesn’t really have any bearing on Natalie,” the second insider adds. “She’s super happy in her life right now and has been prioritizing family and friends.”
Portman previously voiced her “gratitude for my friends who lift me up again and again” while commemorating her birthday via Instagram in June.
In addition to focusing on her friendships, Portman is also prioritizing her and Millepied’s two children, son Aleph, 13, and daughter Amalia, 7. The first source tells Us that the former couple are “getting into the swing” of coparenting.
“Everything is moving smoothly so far,” the insider adds.
An additional source told Us in June that it took Portman “a while to get her smile back after the divorce,” but she “turned a corner” after finalizing the split.
“Natalie is her confident self [again],” the insider said at the time, noting that the actress had a “lighter step” and “more joy” in her eyes.
Portman and Millepied began dating after working together on 2010’s Black Swan, for which Portman won an Oscar for Best Actress. They tied the knot in 2012. The pair “started having problems” well before they split, another source told Us in January, noting that Portman “began to suspect infidelity” after Millepied started “taking work trips that didn’t add up.”
While the insider said Portman was “humiliated and utterly crushed by Benjamin’s behavior,” an additional source said that Portman “didn’t give up on [her marriage] lightly.”
Despite the contentious circumstances of their split, Portman and Millepied are “being very civil toward each other for the kids,” another source told Us in March.
As far as I’ve seen, this woman hasn’t been identified yet, but from the pictures of them kissing, her side profile is similar to Natalie’s, and that’s all I’ll say about that. If I were Natalie, I personally wouldn’t have even given him the satisfaction of any response, but hopefully her message was received and no one will ask her about Benjamin’s love life again. I’m not surprised he moved on quickly, either. The dude is scum. Good for them, I guess, for being able to co-parent together. Their kids deserve that. Anyway, cheating on his partner is kinda Benjamin’s MO at this point, so good luck to his new lady.
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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
Photos credit: Federico Pestellini/Panoramic/Avalon, Thomas Floyd/Avalon and via Instagram
The message is that Natalie has turned a corner and Benjamin is no longer the source of her (un)happiness.
“”Natalie is her confident self [again],” the insider said at the time, noting that the actress had a “lighter step” and “more joy” in her eyes.”
She’s moved on, too.
He moved on while they were still married.
Well, he moved on fromHis ballerina girlfriend to be with Natalie quite fast, too
That was my recollection too, but I thought I was wrong. That seems to be how Natalie got him in the first place.
She got a taste of what home-wrecking feels like on the other side
What else can she say? They have kids together.
She is being polite. She is not going to say he is scum publicly, even tho he is a dirty cheater.
Moved on. I hate this phrase.
He cheated and betrayed his family.
He is not moving on, he is continuing to move from one to the next bc he is selfish. He’s not in love, he’s a dog. Humping.
It seems to me that a lot of women in their 40s who didn’t necessarily want to get divorced, but decided to do it after a partner cheated or after a long period of unhappiness ,seem a lot happier after the divorce. they’re free to move on with their lives without the burden of wondering what if they should have stayed longer to try to make it work. Anyway, no matter how Natalie got him in the first place, they were together for 11 years and have two children together, so I’m going to be happy for her newfound happiness now that she moved on.
In general, men seem to move on quicker than women, but then you have cases like Gisele Bundchen who is now pregnant. I think ppl who move on quickly were either cheating, not invested in the relationship, or looking to turn the page quickly.
First of all, if a woman wants to move on just as quickly as a man, so be it. But Gisele had been separated from Tom since 2022 and started publicly dating her boyfriend in 2023, I hardly consider that moving on quickly.
Gisele and Tom Brady announced their divorce October 28, 2022. Coincidentally, but fittingly, PEOPLE’s article announcing she was pregnant was on October 28, 2024.
That’s two years. I don’t even think we had confirmation she was dating seriously for a year or more, as opposed to Tom.
Respectfully, if you think 1-2 years is too fast to be in a serious relationship and, another year after that, pregnant, what would be a normal timeline for you? I think she took a fairly traditional amount of time, especially given her children needed to adjust, then went public with a new relationship, and now is pregnant…again, two years later. It all seems perfectly fine, if there even is a standard.
I remember hearing stories about him cheating on his girlfriend at the time to get together with Natalie, and it always strikes me as funny when the new woman thinks, “Well, he cheated to be with me, but he won’t cheat on ME”… Once a cheater, always a cheater : /
He’s not even hot smdh.
Natalie has a boyfriend. His name is Tanguy Destable, he’s a french music producer who goes by Tepr. They have been together for about three months. Also, Natalie and Ben have a very contentious relationship, he’s basically gone full manosphere on Instagram. He follows a ton of “my ex is a narcissist” instagram pages. One day he posted a clip to his stories about female narcissists, and then Natalie followed 10 different pages all about narcissist exes. Then she unfollowed all of them and followed Jay shetty, lol.
You know who could be harmed by Benjamin’s indiscretions are his children.
I guess that doesn’t occur to him in the heat of the moment with his latest paramour. How hard is it for him to hold off his advances until they get to his/her place?
Yeah, he’s a dirtbag for sure.
Checked out Tepr online and I am getting a very similar vibe to Benjamin. Hopefully Natalie is not going to get tripped up again!