Natalie Portman and Paul Mescal sparked some dating rumors on social media when photos of them hanging out in London were released. But sources told TMZ yesterday that there isn’t anything romantic going on. Portman and Mescal are actually good friends who have known each other for some time now, the sources clarified.
The outlet noted that they interviewed each other for Variety’s Actors on Actors issue last year. Their conversation offers a public look at their dynamic—and a possible clue as to when their private friendship started.
In the photos Daily Mail published this week, Portman and Mescal appear laughing together while outside of London’s Bar 69 on Tuesday. There was no PDA visible, but the surprise friend pairing led some on social media to imagine a real-life May-December romance could be brewing, one year after Portman starred in May December, which focused on a couple with a sizable age gap. Portman is 42 while Mescal is 28.
Both stars are publicly single, with Portman’s rep revealing in March 2024 that she finalized her divorce from ex-husband Benjamin Millepied the month prior. She secretly separated from him eight months before that.
At the time, a source told 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,” they continued. “She and Ben really love their kids and are equally focused on being the best co-parents they can be. Nothing is more important.”
A friend said that Portman has adjusted to her new reality: “Natalie hoped her marriage would be forever, but she is at peace with where they are and now focused on their new normal as a family.”