Natalie Portman and estranged husband Benjamin Millepied met on the job. Thanks to his lengthy and impressive dance career, Benjamin landed an opportunity to work with Natalie in an Academy Award-winning film. However, his career had only just begun. From there, his net worth steadily increased after he worked on several other productions in various roles. 

What Is Benjamin Millepied’s Net Worth? 

Benjamin’s estimated net worth is $10 million, per Celebrity Net Worth. 

What Does Benjamin Millepied Do for a Living? 

In the late 1990s, Benjamin joined New York City’s corps de ballet, where he later became a choreographer and avid dancer. He was promoted to a soloist and principal dancer during his time at the elite company. Though he retired from the ballet in 2011, Benjamin’s dance career was far from over. 

In addition to serving as director and choreographer for multiple feature-length and short films, Benjamin was also credited for choreographing the “sandwalk” sequence in Dune. On top of this, the France native also initiated the L.A. Dance Project and worked as the director of dance at the Paris Opera Ballet throughout the 2010s. 

How Did Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman Meet? 

Natalie and Benjamin met on the set of her Oscar-winning film, Black Swan, in 2009. He was cast in the role of Natalie’s character Nina’s dance partner, David Moreau, who played The Prince in the film’s Swan Lake performance. The two worked together extensively to execute their dance perfectly for the movie. 

Natalie Portman Is ‘So Hurt’ by Husband Benjamin Millepied’s Affair: ‘She Is Trying’
Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE/Shutterstock

While the now-estranged couple maintained a low-key relationship for years, Natalie occasionally gushed over Benjamin. During a 2018 interview on SiriusXM Town Hall, Natalie opened up about how it felt meeting and working with Benjamin. 

“I met my husband on [the set of Black Swan], so I think I was in, like, dreamland,” Natalie said at the time. “He was teaching me to dance. You know, one of those romantic [stories] … It was definitely exciting and fun. It was beautiful. I don’t know about instant. It was like I really got to know him and that was when it seemed like, ‘Oh this is the person.’” 

Are Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied Still Together? 

After meeting in 2009, the pair announced that they were engaged and expecting their first child in 2010. Natalie gave birth to their son, Aleph, in 2011, and their second child, Amalia, in 2017. 

While accepting the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2011, Natalie thanked her “beautiful love, Benjamin Millepied, who choreographed the film and has now given me my most important role of my life,” referring to her pregnancy with Aleph at the time. More than one year later, Natalie and Benjamin tied the knot in August 2012. 

Despite enjoying a seemingly blissful marriage for over a decade, Natalie and Benjamin were reported to be “on the outs” in August 2023 after cheating rumors involving the choreographer surfaced online early in the summer. 

Did Benjamin Millepied Cheat on Natalie Portman? 

In June 2023, reports circulated that Benjamin had cheated on Natalie with an activist named Camille Étienne. That month, French magazine Voici published pictures of Benjamin and Camille entering his office in Paris separately, then leaving within 10 minutes of each other in May 2023. Though he and Natalie were photographed attending a Beyoncé concert two days later, the duo reportedly hit a roadblock in their marriage due to his alleged affair with Camille. Neither Natalie nor Benjamin spoke out about the affair rumors. 

After initial reports surfaced that Natalie and Benjamin were trying to work on their marriage following the alleged infidelity, the two separated by August 2023. The Thor actress was even spotted without her wedding ring on her and Benjamin’s 11th wedding anniversary while taking a trip to Sydney, Australia. 

Reps for Natalie and Benjamin did not immediately respond to Life & Style’s request for comment.