Rihanna stepped in to give actress Natalie Portman a pep talk while she was in the process of divorcing her husband of 11 years and dad of her two children Benjamin Millepied

Natalie Portman has described the “formative” moment Rihanna gave her some post-divorce encouragament after splitting from husband of 11 years.

The Black Swan actress announced her divorce from French dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied in March, following numerous reports of a ‘short-lived’ affair. The 43-year-old Hollywood star married Benjamin, 47, in 2012 after meeting on the set of Black Swan in 2010, with the pair going on to have two children together, Aleph, 13, and Amalia, 7.

After their painful split, Umbrella singer Rihanna could be heard telling Natalie how much she adores her, while both women attended the Dior fashion show in January. Mum-of-two Rihanna was overhead telling Natalie: “I am a f***ing fan. You’re one of the hottest b*tches in Hollywood forever. You do the most innocent look and I’m like ‘ahhhh!’”

Natalie thinks every woman should have a chat with Rihanna when going through a break up ( 
Image:
@fallontonight/Youtube)

Natalie recalled the “amazing experience” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy, telling the chat show host that she recommends that every woman should speak to the star while going through a break-up.

Speaking to Jimmy, Natalie said: “It was an amazing experience for me. I think every woman going through a divorce should get to have Rihanna say to her that she’s a bad b*tch.” Jimmy replied: “That’s a big deal,” with Natalie boldly responding: “It was a formative moment in my life.”

The couple separated quietly in 2023, following reports in May of that year that Benjamin had been unfaithful to his wife and mother of his children. A source at the time revealed that it was “tough” on Natalie, whose friends jumped in to help her through the “worst of it”.

The insider told US site People: “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. 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.”

Meanwhile, fans became suspicious that something wasn’t right in the marriage, with Natalie not photographed with her wedding ring on since reports of the alleged affair emerged. The source added that the “short-lived” fling was over, with Benjamin trying to save their marriage and keep the family together, putting in an “enormous” effort.

In June last year, the pair were spotted out with each other at the Cannes Film Festival, just after news of the affiar broke. They packed on the PDA while dining with friends at the restaurant Georges, sharing a romantic kiss while Natalie held on to a red rose.