Natalie Portman reveals how Rihanna helped her through difficult Benjamin Millepied divorce

nypost.com:

Natalie Portman revealed that Rihanna played a role in helping her through her divorce from Benjamin Millepied during an interview on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Monday.The duo crossed paths at Paris fashion week in January, when Rihanna called the “Black Swan” star “one of the hottest bitches in Hollywood forever.”Portman, 43, told Fallon, 49, that it was a “formative moment” for her during a challenging period.After watching the interaction back on the show, Fallon noted: “That’s a big deal.”Portman chimed in: “I think every woman going through a divorce should get to have Rihanna say to her that she’s a bad bitch.”Fallon replied, “That’s exactly right — that is correct.“Every woman should,” he added, as he rose to his feet and enthusiastically applauded the Oscar-winning actress.

Portman remarked: “It was exactly what I needed.”In the video shared earlier this year, Portman told Rihanna, “I love you,” as the singer reciprocated: “I am a f–king fan.”The Grammy winner, 36, also told Portman that she doesn’t “get excited about anybody” but was starstruck about meeting the actress outside of the Dior Haute Couture show in the French capital.

Portman quietly filed for divorce last July, and it was finalized in February.Reports surfaced in August that the split was due to Millepied’s alleged affair with 26-year-old climate activist Camille Ètienne.

Despite stepping out without her wedding ring, Portman told Vanity Fair in February that she did not wish to “contribute” to “terrible” rumors about her relationship at the time.