Natalie Portman Sets The Record Straight After Paul Mescal Dating Rumours

Natalie Portman has spoken out after she and Paul Mescal found themselves at the centre of rumours they were dating.

Back in May, pictures of the two actors sharing a laugh (and a smoke) outside a pub in London were widely shared online, prompting speculation that the pair could be seeing each other.

During a new interview with The Guardian published over the weekend, the Oscar winner was asked directly about the photos, to which she apparently laughed and said that she and the Normal People actor were “just friends”.

When The Guardian’s reporter pointed out how “starstruck” the Irish star looked in the photos, Natalie responded that she, too, is “very in awe of his talent”.

Natalie was previously married to Benjamin Millepied, the French dancer who served as the choreographer on her film Black Swan, for more than a decade. She filed for divorce in July 2023, which was finalised earlier this year.

The former couple share two children, 13-year-old Aleph and seven-year-old Amalia.

Paul previously dated musician Phoebe Bridgers for around two years, and were even rumoured to be engaged before going their separate ways in early 2023.

Natalie will next be seen in the Apple TV+ miniseries Lady In The Lake, based on the novel of the same name by Laura Lippman, on which the actor also served as an executive producer. 

Meanwhile, Paul is gearing up for the release of Gladiator II later this year, with Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Joseph Quinn among his A-list co-stars.