Natalie Portman has been rebuilding her life after divorcing her husband, Benjamin Millepied, in February 2024, but she’s not doing it alone. The 43-year-old actress has found support in the Hollywood community, particularly from one A-list star, who has a similar divorce story.
Reese Witherspoon has reportedly been Portman’s rock during this challenging time in her life. “Natalie has made a lot of actress friends over the years and especially in the last five years, Reese has been someone putting in work to coax Natalie out of her shell a little bit, just because they have so much in common,” a insider shared.
Portman’s 11-year marriage to Millepied fell apart after his alleged infidelity was discovered in June 2023. He reportedly had an affair with 26-year-old French environmental activist Camille Étienne and their relationship is apparently still going on even after his divorce. Millepied shares two children with Portman, Aleph, 13, and Amalia, 7, but their split hasn’t been easy.
“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 told Us Weekly in November 2024.
It’s a good thing she has Witherspoon, who went through her own split from Jim Toth in March 2023 — and just like Portman and Millepied, they were married for 11 years. The Legally Blonde star and Toth share a son, Tennessee, 12. But, there are even more parallels to Portman and Witherspoon’s lives.
“There’s reams of common ground between them beyond just their divorces: they were both star students and child actors; they both are super-involved moms; and they are both incredibly close to their extended families outside of show business,” the Life & Style source added.
Portman showed her appreciation for the people who got her through a difficult year on her June 9 birthday in 2024. “This year, on my birthday, I want to celebrate my gratitude for my friends who lift me up again and again,” she wrote in the caption on Instagram. Witherspoon made sure to chime in the comments with a supportive thought. She wrote, “Happy Birthday, you incredible diamond of a human! ✨I love you.”
Hollywood may seem like a cutthroat place, but it’s a supportive community that has each other’s back time and again. Portman knows she has Witherspoon there to lean on during difficult times.
Before you go, click here for all the celebrity splits and divorces we never saw coming.
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