Natalie Portman may be an Academy Award-winning actress, but even celebrities need a strong support system. The actress does have that and celebrated her friends on a very unusual day — her own birthday.
This year, Natalie Portman divorced her husband, Benjamin Millepied. The two finalized their divorce three months ago in France, and it happened in the aftermath of several affair rumors that surfaced in May 2023. Months before they announced their divorce, rumors appeared that Millepied had an intimate relationship with a 25-year-old woman named Camille Étienne.
Portman and Millepied had been together for 11 years before their divorce after meeting on the set of the psychological film Black Swan, the same movie that got Portman her Oscar. The actress has been in the spotlight since she was a child, but she was private about her personal life with Millepied. Within a year, the couple was engaged and expecting their first child together, Aleph, born in 2011. They got married in 2011 in California, and a few years later, in 2017, they welcomed a daughter named Amalia, and Natalie generally keeps her children and personal life away from the spotlight. The actress quietly filed for divorce in July 2023.
Natalie Portman praised her friends through the dark times
On June 9, Natalie celebrated her 43rd birthday, the first one since her divorce. Instead of talking about her hopes for the upcoming year, she placed the spotlight on her friends, instead. Portman shared several pictures from different locations around the world and different special occasions, writing in the caption, “this year, on my birthday, I want to celebrate my gratitude for my friends who lift me up again and again.”
Getting through a divorce is hard, and having a strong support system is vital. It seems like the actress, who is currently splitting her time between Los Angeles, U.S., and Paris, France, got all the help she needed through the difficult times. This year, Natalie dodged a question about the rumored affair when speaking to Vanity Fair, noting that, “It’s terrible, and I have no desire to contribute to it.” She went on to switch the conversation to her normal, non-celebrity life, noting that, “I live on the east side. I have some friends who are in the entertainment industry, but many friends who are not, and we don’t do industry things when we hang out. We’re not going to Hollywood parties, we’re having dinners at home in the backyard.”
Besides her friends from her post, many celebrities wished Natalie a happy birthday in the comments, including her Thor co-star Chris Hemsworth. Reese Witherspoon wrote, “Happy Birthday, you incredible diamond of a human! I love you,” with other actresses like Mindy Kaling, Julianne Moore, and Kerry Washington, joining in and sending good thoughts. Isla Fisher, who is also going through a divorce from actor husband Sacha Baron Cohen, wrote, “Ports I love you. Happy Birthday. I’m so grateful you were born.” It’s no wonder Natalie wants to show her appreciation for her friends every chance she gets.
