Natalie Portman shines on gender equality panel amidst separation rumors

Natalie Portman was visibly upbeat as she took part in a discussion on gender equality, even amidst reports of a potential split with her husband, Benjamin Millepied, with whom she had been married for 11 years.

Despite the alleged separation, supposedly prompted by her spouse's involvement with a younger woman, the 42-year-old actress didn't let personal turmoil dampen her engagement with prominent figures like former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura, and Ruby Tui.

Sharing her experience, Portman shared a series of photos from her speaking event in Auckland on Monday, captioning it, "Honored to speak alongside my heroes last night." She extended her gratitude to New Zealand Story for bringing them together to discuss "gender equity."

While on stage, Ruby Tui, aged 31, lent her Olympic gold medal to Portman, who is a mother of two. During their conversation, Tui lauded Portman for co-founding the Angel City Football Club, a Women’s National Soccer League team based in Los Angeles. 

Tui commended Portman for venturing beyond her 'comfort zone' to promote women's sports. According to The New Zealand Herald, Portman and Tui shared a heartfelt hug after their exchange.

Notably, Portman was not wearing her wedding ring during or after the panel. Earlier in the month, reports from Us Weekly suggested that Portman and her husband had separated, despite attempts to mend their relationship after allegations of infidelity had emerged.