Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied’s Complete Relationship Timeline
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On March 8, 2024, it was reported that Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied had officially finalized their divorce in February, after 11 years of marriage.
The former couple first met on the set of 2010’s Black Swan, in which Portman starred and Millepied served as a choreographer, while also taking a supporting role. After working together on set, they entered into a relationship and soon welcomed their first child together, a son named Aleph. Then, after tying the knot, they welcomed another child—daughter Amalia.
Over the course of their romance, they collaborated on various projects and even moved across the world for each other. But despite all this, things simply didn’t work out in the end.
So, if you’re mourning Portman and Millepied’s split, like we are, you can revisit their story ahead, where we’ve broken down Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied’s entire relationship timeline.
February 2024: The pair’s divorce is finalized
Portman and Millepied’s divorce is finalized in France, as confirmed weeks later by People. In a quote from a source, they say, “It was initially really tough for [Portman], but her friends rallied around her and helped get her through the worst of it. Natalie is coming out of a really tough and painful year, but she’s come out the other side of it stronger and is finding joy in her family, friends, and work.”
The insider adds, “Her biggest priority has been ensuring a smooth transition for her children. She and Ben really love their kids and are equally focused on being the best co-parents they can be. Nothing is more important.”
July 2023: Natalie files for divorce
Less than a year after they celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary, Portman files for divorce from Millepied.
While it’s unclear the cause of the filing, rumors suggest that Millepied had an affair with climate activist Camille Étienne. However, neither Portman nor Millepied confirm or deny these rumors.
Months later, when Portman is asked about the interest in her personal life, she says, “It’s terrible, and I have no desire to contribute to it.”
August 2022: They celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary
Portman and Millepied officially mark a decade of marriage in August 2022. Portman uses her Instagram account to celebrate the milestone, and she shares an image of her and her dancer husband from the U.K. screening of Thor: Love and Thunder. In her caption, Portman writes, “Ten years today @benjaminmillepied, and it keeps getting better…”
February 2018: Natalie and Benjamin unite for another film
While Portman is working on her movie Vox Lux, she get Millepied hired to choreograph a dance routine for the film. In an interview with Extra, she says, “My husband choreographed the performance that [my character] has at the end, which is basically like a whole concert, and it was so fun. It was kind of like living out one of my childhood dreams of being a pop star and having a microphone and then, you know, getting to work with my husband which is always so fun.”
October 2017: The pair make first joint appearance since the birth of their daughter
While the two took some time away to start caring for baby girl Amalia, they make their return at the 2017 L.A. Dance Project Gala. (FYI: the L.A. Dance Project is a non-profit dance company that was founded by Millepied in 2012.)
For the event, Portman wears a black scoop neck dress with an A-line ruffled skirt, while Millepied sports a black suit and inky sneakers.
February 2017: Natalie gives birth to second child
On February 22, Portman quietly gives birth to her and Millepied’s second child—a daughter named Amalia. In Hebrew, this name means “work of God.”
September 2016: Natalie reveals second pregnancy at Venice Film Festival
Months after the pair moves back to the U.S. (following Millepied’s resignation from the Paris Opera Ballet), Portman attends the Venice Film Festival, where she wears a white, body-hugging Dior gown that reveals her growing baby bump.
Fall 2014: The pair move their family to Paris
Millepied is offered a job as the director of dance at the Paris Opera Ballet, which he accepts, causing him and Portman to transport their lives from Los Angeles to Paris.
In an interview with Marie Claire in late 2013, Portman expresses that she will miss L.A., but she adds, “I'm really lucky. When Ben asked me if I wanted to go to Paris, I freaked. Everyone dreams of living in Paris.”
August 2012: Natalie and Benjamin tie the knot
After a little over two years together and a year after welcoming their first child, Millepied and Portman say “I do” at an intimate ceremony in Big Sur, California, on August 4, 2012.
According to The Cut, the traditional Jewish wedding is attended by about 60 guests, including celebs like Macaulay Culkin, Ivanka Trump, Mike Nichols, and Diane Sawyer. The pair are wed under a chuppah with Portman wearing a custom dress made by Rodarte and a wreath of flowers in her hair. The entire menu for the evening is vegan (to coincide with Portman’s diet) and the wedding favors are packets of wildflower seeds.
June 2011: Natalie gives birth to their first child
On June 14, 2011, Portman gives birth to her and Millepied’s first child, a son named Aleph Millepied-Portman.
The two keep details of the birth out of the spotlight, however Portman later says to The Telegraph of becoming a mom: “I'm less judgmental than before I had a kid. The biggest thing I've learned is that parenting is a totally different experience for every person.”
February 2011: They make their red carpet debut as a couple
For the first time since becoming a couple, Portman and Millepied make their red carpet debut at the 83rd annual Academy Awards.
At the event, Portman shows off her baby bump in a purple off-the-shoulder Rodarte dress. The night ends up being a big one for Portman, as she collects her first-ever Oscar for Best Actress, thanks to her performance in Black Swan. Before heading to the stage to make her speech, Portman plants a kiss on Millepied, who sits right beside her.
December 2010: The couple confirm their engagement and Natalie’s pregnancy
After a few public sightings and months of speculation, Portman and Millepied confirm that they are engaged and expecting their first child in a report shared by People. Millepied proposes to Portman with a custom, conflict-free diamond designed by Jamie Wolf.
In an interview with The Adventurine, Wolf says, “[Benjamin] was really specific in the most wonderful way. He was very involved in making sure that we took every opportunity to consider what Natalie would want in her engagement ring such as an antique diamond center stone, Kimberley process-certified conflict-free smaller stones for the band of the ring, and recycled platinum for the metal.”
October 2010: Natalie attends the NYC Ballet Gala
Portman makes her first public show of support for Millepied, when she attends the NYC Ballet Gala at the David H. Koch Theater in October 2010.
For the event, Portman wears an aqua green asymmetrical mini dress where one side hangs off the shoulder while the other fits like a batwing sleeve. She pairs the dress with silver strappy sandals.
September 2010: The two sit together at the Venice Film Festival
As Black Swan gets its world premiere at the 67th Venice Film Festival, Portman and Millepied sit next to each other in the audience, which is the first time they are spotted together in public.
Late 2009: Natalie and Benjamin meet on the set of Black Swan
The power of dance is what first brings Portman and Millepied together. The two meet on the set of the Darren Aronofsky film Black Swan, where Portman portrays a young ballerina for the New York City Ballet, hoping to nab the role of the White Swan/Black Swan in Swan Lake. Benjamin works on the film as a choreographer, and he also plays the part of David Moreau/Prince Siegfried. While working together, the two quickly hit it off.
Years later, during a Siriux XM town hall, Hoda Kotb asks Portman if it was exhausting working on the film, to which Portman responds, “I met my husband on it, so I think I was in, like, dreamland. So, it seemed pretty fun the whole time…We had a whole, he was teaching me how to dance. You know, one of those romantic [stories]…It was definitely exciting and fun. It was beautiful. But I don't know about instant. It was like I really got to know him and that was when it seemed like, ‘Oh, right. This is the person.’”
In an interview with Vulture, Millepied says of working with Portman: “We got along right away; she’s very, very professional, not difficult — there’s no attitude there.”
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