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Moby released his autobiography Then It Fell Apart in which he talked about his controversial relationship with Natalie Portman when she was just 18 years old and he was 33.
The problem? The relationship never happened. And Natalie made sure the world would know exactly how it went down.
But this isn't the only time the Black Swan actress has a narrative directed towards her that she wants nothing to do with.
Portman's highly publicized break from husband of 11 years, Benjamin Millepied, has set the rumor mill into full swing. Allegations that Millepied's affair with a much younger woman was the cause for the separation have hit every publication's headlines.
While Portman has remained silent on the reason for the split, her actions speak volumes as she has been seen out in public without her wedding ring.
While Portman spoke out–loudly-on Moby's account of their supposed relationship, this time she is taking the strong but silent route.
Portman and Millepied were together over a decade before the controversy hit. They share two children together, son Aleph, 12, and daughter Amalia, 6. To outsiders the family looked ideal.
But rumors began this past June that Millepied, 46, had an affair with Camille Étienne, a 25-year-old climate activist. According to reports, Portman knew of the affair since March but continued to work on the relationship for the sake of their children.
The two are notoriously private when it comes to their family and children. Portman spoke to Madame Figaro back in 2012 about what family means to her, “Nothing is more important than my personal life. It’s something which comes first, always makes sense, and compared to the happiness of a successful family life, everything else is practically superficial.”
The upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder star is true to her word and has decided in this case, to remain silent on the split.
While Portman was quick–and fearless–to call out Moby's comments regarding their questionable relationship from 20 years ago, this time she has chosen to keep her personal life personal.
According to Moby, the two met backstage at his concert in Austin, Texas, when he was 33 and she was 20. He mentions that they dated briefly before Natalie ended the relationship when she met someone else.
“I wanted one thing: for me to be alone … nothing triggered my panic attacks more than getting close to a woman I cared about," Moby confessed in his book. And according to him, "he had tried to be Natalie’s boyfriend, but it hadn’t worked out" as he wasn't ready to love a woman.
Except, according to Natalie Portman, a big part of what Moby details is not as accurate...especially the fact that they even dated at all. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, the actress said she and Moby never dated.
“I was a fan and went to one of his shows when I had just graduated,” Natalie said. "When we met after the show, he said, ‘let’s be friends’. He was on tour and I was working, shooting a film, so we only hung out a handful of times before I realized that this was an older man who was interested in me in a way that felt inappropriate."
I was surprised to hear that he characterized the very short time that I knew him as dating because my recollection is a much older man being creepy with me.
Natalie Portman to Harper's Bazaar
She also said there was a big factual error in the book, saying that she was not 20 when they met, as he claimed in the book, but had just turned 18.
He said I was 20; I definitely wasn’t. I was a teenager. I had just turned 18. There was no fact checking from him or his publisher – it almost feels deliberate.
Natalie Portman to Harper's Bazaar
Not only did Moby falsely depict their relationship as romantic, he also tampered with the facts in his book. Writing such an account without even double checking with her was baffling to Natalie, especially since he made that whole story the selling point.
"That he used this story to sell his book was very disturbing to me. It wasn’t the case. There are many factual errors and inventions. I would have liked him or his publisher to reach out to fact check.”
Moby ultimately responded on Instagram, and rather than apologize, actually doubled down with a defense. In the caption, he mentions that Natalie's version "confused me, as we did, in fact, date."
"And after briefly dating in 1999 we remained friends for years. I like Natalie, and I respect her intelligence and activism," Moby continued. "But, to be honest, I can’t figure out why she would actively misrepresent the truth about our (albeit brief) involvement."
Except a few days later, after receiving backlash for his defense, Moby ultimately issued an apology on Instagram, saying that “many of the criticisms leveled at me regarding my inclusion of Natalie in Then It Fell Apart are very valid."
He admitted he shouldn’t have included her at all without getting her permission. He also said “given the dynamic of our almost 14-year age difference I absolutely should’ve acted more responsibly and respectfully when Natalie and I first met almost 20 years ago.”
Moby's apology represents a step in the right direction when it comes to men holding themselves accountable for their mistakes. However, the situation highlights important underlying issues in women's experiences with men.
Moby using a story he largely imagined to be true (whether or not they dated, we will never be able to tell as the two have differing accounts--and Moby has not taken back his claim) to sell books is a form of exploitation of a woman for his personal cool factor.
In the wake of the Time's Up movement, of which Natalie was a strong advocate, the need for women's voices to be heard has become more important than ever.
[Time's Up|] gave women the ability to say, ‘We’re essentially being silenced and shamed and now we’re coming forward.'
Natalie Portman
Not letting your story be controlled by other's voices is important, but that doesn't mean that everyone deserves to know the intimate details of your life–such as when it comes to your family.
But by refusing to let Moby have his way, Natalie is setting an example for all women whose stories have been controlled by men. Speaking your truth is always worth it, even when the voices around can appear to be louder.
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