Natalie Portman Broke Her Silence On Her Divorce As She Revealed How Rihanna Gave Her The Ultimate Confidence Boost After Her Split From Benjamin Millepied

A fun new hobby or a bit of journaling might be helpful for some when navigating a tough breakup. However, for Natalie Portman, a run-in with Rihanna was precisely what she needed to get through it.

Natalie Portman smiling in a formal black outfit, standing against an ornate, light-colored background
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For context, it was confirmed by People in March that Natalie had recently finalized her divorce from Benjamin Millepied following reports that he’d allegedly cheated on her.

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied are photographed together outdoors, dressed in formal attire, with an elegant building in the background
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After much speculation about their marriage, it was revealed that Natalie quietly filed for divorce from the choreographer in July last year. She and Benjamin — who met on the set of Black Swan in 2009 — were married for 11 years and share two children: Aleph, 13, and Amalia, 7.

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied pose together on the red carpet, with Lauren wearing a strapless red dress and floral headpiece
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So, just a month before Natalie’s divorce was finalized, she attended the Dior Haute Couture show in Paris, where she met Rihanna for the first time.

Rihanna at a celebrity event, wearing a strapless gown
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Video footage of the encounter shows the two superstars overwhelmed with excitement as they embraced outside the venue. “You are one of the hottest bitches in Hollywood forever,” Rih told Natalie, who replied in complete awe: “I’m gonna faint…I’m gonna blackout.”

Anyone will know it’s quite an achievement to make Rihanna feel starstruck, and now, six months later, Natalie has emphasized just how much the moment meant to her, too.

Rihanna at an event, wearing a strapless leather outfit and a statement red gemstone necklace. She looks over her shoulder with a serious expression. "Fenty" is visible in the background
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Appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, the Oscar-winner said her run-in with Rih came at the perfect time amid her divorce — which, as we know now, was finalized only a few weeks after the Dior show took place on January 22.

Natalie Portman on the red carpet in a strapless, sparkling gown, posing against a textured backdrop
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“It was an amazing experience for me,” she said after Jimmy brought up the viral footage. “I think every woman going through a divorce should get to have Rihanna say to her that she’s a bad bitch.”

Natalie Portman in a floral-embellished dress, smiling and sitting on a talk show set with a cityscape backdrop

“It was exactly what I needed,” she added. “It was a formative moment in my life.”

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This marks the first time Natalie has addressed the split since news broke that the divorce was official.

Natalie Portman, in a strapless dress and diamond necklace, poses smiling with Benjamin Millepied, dressed in a tuxedo, at an event
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Before this, the May December star had only ever commented on the public speculation surrounding their marriage, telling Vanity Fair in February: “It’s terrible, and I have no desire to contribute to it.”

Natalie Portman poses on the red carpet in a black gown with gold chain straps
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You can watch her full appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon here.

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