Actress Natalie Portman is reportedly "annoyed" by author Rachel Cusk's new novel, "Life of M," which features a protagonist whose life story appears to mirror Portman's, according to sources speaking to Page Six. The novel, set to be released on August 25, details a writer's relationship with a former child star living in Paris who is attempting to write her autobiography.
The character, referred to as "M," shares significant parallels with Portman, including a past role in a film criticized for its sexualization of a child actor, similar to Portman's breakout performance in "Léon: The Professional" at age 12. The book also references intensive training for a ballet role, echoing Portman's preparation for "Black Swan," for which she won an Academy Award. Further parallels are drawn to Portman's divorce from choreographer Benjamin Millepied, whom she met on the set of "Black Swan."
A publishing source familiar with the situation suggested that "the writer and the publisher are narrowly skating the line of not trying to hide who they make it out to be, even if they don’t comment on it." The novel's 100 pages reportedly explore the concept of fame, with the character M described as having a "long Lolita phase" and feeling "very scared" by being sexualized as a child actor.
Portman herself has spoken about the early sexualization she experienced in her career. In a discussion with Jenna Ortega for "Interview" magazine, Portman stated, "There’s a public understanding of me that’s different from who I am." She added, "I felt very scared by it."
While sources close to Portman insist that she is not friends with Cusk and that their relationship is not as portrayed in speculation, they acknowledge that the author has "stolen from people’s lives" and "mines acquaintances" for her work. A source in Paris who knows both women stated, "Of course Rachel is writing about Natalie!"
Despite the controversy, a source close to Portman emphasized that the actress is in a positive phase of her life. "Natalie is pretty comfortable with who she is. Her friends know who she is," the source said. "I doubt this is keeping her up at night."
Valerie Stivers, a senior editor at UnHerd, suggested that Cusk is using Portman as a "literary stand-in for elite culture and elite people" to explore ideas about identity. "Who better than an actress to symbolize that?" Stivers noted, adding that whether Cusk and Portman were friends is less important than the fact that "the character, M, is obviously based on her, and has captured something real about Portman’s quest to be normal."
Cusk's past works have also generated controversy. Her memoir "A Life’s Work: On Becoming a Mother" was described by The New York Times as "career suicide," and her 2009 memoir "The Last Supper: A Summer in Italy" was pulped after a subject threatened a libel suit.
The novel's ending features the character M telling the narrator, "I don’t like the way you portray me. You’ve made it seem like I lack humanity. You’ve made it seem like I’m unable to love," a sentiment sources say is contrary to Portman's current outlook.