By Fransiska Frederika 
The 98th Academy Awards are poised to serve as a significant milestone in the storied career of Natalie Portman, marking her first official appearance at the ceremony in six years. While the Academy Award-winning actress has remained a fixture of the high-profile Vanity Fair Oscar Party in recent years, she has not walked the primary red carpet at the Dolby Theatre since 2020. Her scheduled return to the 2026 ceremony, which will be hosted by Emmy-winning comedian Conan O’Brien, carries both professional and personal weight as Portman navigates a new era of her life as a producer and a high-profile figure in the international arts scene.
According to internal seating charts and attendance previews recently circulated by industry insiders and social media outlets such as DeuxMoi, Portman is confirmed to attend the 98th Oscars to support the critically acclaimed film Arco. Unlike her previous appearances, which were largely centered on her performances in front of the camera, this visit highlights her evolving role behind the scenes. Portman served as a producer on Arco, which has secured a prestigious nomination for Best Animated Feature. The ceremony, set to air live on ABC and stream on Hulu at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT, arrives at a time of intense public interest regarding Portman’s personal life following her highly publicized divorce and her subsequent relationship with French musician Tanguy Destable.
The Professional Significance of Arco and the 98th Academy Awards
The 98th Academy Awards represent a transition for the Oscars themselves, with Conan O’Brien taking the helm as host for the first time. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has sought to revitalize the broadcast’s energy, and the presence of established A-list talent like Portman is central to that strategy. For Portman, the nomination of Arco is a validation of her production company, MountainA, which she co-founded with Sophie Mas. MountainA was established with the intent of supporting visionary filmmakers and telling stories that challenge traditional cinematic structures.
Arco’s inclusion in the Best Animated Feature category places Portman in competition with major studios, yet the film has been lauded by critics for its innovative visual style and emotional depth. Industry analysts suggest that Portman’s transition into heavy-hitting production roles mirrors the career trajectories of peers like Reese Witherspoon and Margot Robbie, who have successfully leveraged their acting prestige to build production powerhouses. Her attendance at the 98th Oscars is not merely a social obligation but a strategic professional appearance as she advocates for the film’s legacy within the Academy.
A Chronology of Portman’s Oscar History and the 2020 Hiatus
To understand the weight of Portman’s return, one must look at her long and decorated history with the Academy. Portman first garnered significant Oscar attention with her nomination for Best Supporting Actress in the 2004 drama Closer. However, it was her transformative role in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan (2010) that cemented her status as a cinematic icon, earning her the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2011. She followed this success with another Best Actress nomination for her portrayal of Jacqueline Kennedy in Jackie (2016).
Portman’s last appearance at the Oscars in 2020 was one of the most talked-about moments of the evening. Arriving solo, she wore a custom Dior cape embroidered with the names of female directors who had been snubbed by the Academy that year, including Greta Gerwig and Lulu Wang. The garment was a powerful statement on gender inequality in Hollywood and reinforced Portman’s reputation as an activist. In the years that followed, Portman chose to skip the main ceremony, attending only the after-parties. This period coincided with significant shifts in the film industry due to the global pandemic and a period of personal turbulence that would eventually lead to the dissolution of her marriage.
The Dissolution of a Decade-Long Marriage
The backdrop to Portman’s six-year Oscar absence is the end of her eleven-year marriage to French dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied. The couple met in 2009 on the set of Black Swan, where Millepied served as the film’s choreographer and also appeared as Portman’s dance partner. Their professional collaboration blossomed into a romance, leading to their marriage in 2012. Over the course of their decade together, they welcomed two children, Aleph and Amalia, and divided their time between Los Angeles and Paris.
The relationship faced intense public scrutiny in 2023 when reports surfaced regarding an alleged extramarital affair involving Millepied. In June 2023, the French publication Voici published photographs showing Millepied and climate activist Camille Étienne entering and leaving his Paris office separately, sparking widespread speculation. While Portman and Millepied initially sought to work through their difficulties for the sake of their children, the couple eventually confirmed their separation. The divorce was finalized in early 2024, marking the end of one of Hollywood’s most prominent international pairings. Portman has largely remained private about the details of the split, focusing instead on her children and her expanding portfolio of creative projects.
The Emergence of a New Relationship: Who is Tanguy Destable?
As Portman prepares for her return to the Oscar red carpet, much of the media speculation surrounds whether she will use the event to make her public debut with her new partner, Tanguy Destable. Known professionally as Yuksek, Destable is a highly regarded French musician, DJ, and producer who has been a staple of the European electronic music scene for over a decade.
Portman and Destable were first linked in early 2025. The relationship was initially reported by Voici, which published images of the couple enjoying a night out in France, appearing relaxed and affectionate. The news was subsequently confirmed by People magazine, which noted that the two had been dating for several months. Destable, 48, has a diverse career that includes film scoring and collaborations with various international artists, making him a fitting match for the artistically minded Portman.
The potential for a joint red carpet appearance at the 98th Oscars has created a "will-they-won’t-they" narrative among entertainment journalists. If they choose to appear together, it would signal a definitive new chapter for Portman, moving past the narrative of her divorce and into a stable, high-profile partnership. However, Portman has historically been cautious about her private life, often choosing to walk the carpet alone or with professional colleagues even when in a committed relationship.
Data and Analysis: The Impact of Celebrity Narrative on Film Promotion
From a public relations perspective, Portman’s return to the Oscars serves multiple functions. For the film Arco, her presence provides "star power" that can influence Academy voters and increase the film’s visibility on streaming platforms following the awards season. Data from previous Oscar broadcasts suggests that films associated with A-list producers who actively campaign and attend the ceremony see a significant "post-Oscar bump" in viewership and international distribution deals.
Furthermore, Portman’s return allows her to reclaim her narrative. By appearing at the most prestigious event in the film industry as a producer, she shifts the focus from her personal life back to her professional achievements. In the modern media landscape, the red carpet serves as a visual press release. Her appearance—whether solo or with Destable—will be analyzed for its fashion choices, body language, and the message it sends about her current status in the industry.
Broader Implications and the Road Ahead
The 98th Academy Awards come at a time when the film industry is grappling with the rise of independent production and the continued evolution of the animation medium. Portman’s involvement in Arco highlights a growing trend of established actors lending their prestige to experimental and animated projects, helping to bridge the gap between "prestige" live-action cinema and the animation world.
As the ceremony approaches, the industry remains focused on the potential winners and the spectacle of the night. For Natalie Portman, however, the evening is more than just an awards show. It is a return to a stage she has commanded for over twenty years, albeit in a new role and under a different set of personal circumstances. Whether she leaves the Dolby Theatre with a trophy for Arco or simply the satisfaction of a successful return to the limelight, her presence at the 98th Oscars marks a definitive conclusion to her hiatus and the beginning of a promising new era in both her career and her personal life.
The 98th Oscars will serve as a testament to the enduring relevance of Natalie Portman. In an industry that often prioritizes the new and the fleeting, her ability to reinvent herself as a producer while maintaining her status as a premier actress ensures that her return to the Academy Awards will be one of the most scrutinized and celebrated moments of the 2026 awards season. As fans and peers look on, the focus remains on the work, the message, and the continued evolution of one of cinema’s most dedicated artists.