Watch: Natalie Portman says meeting Rihanna was 'formative moment'

July 16 (UPI) -- Natalie Portman says meeting Grammy-winning singer Rihanna was a "formative moment" in her life.

The actress recalled meeting Rihanna at Paris Fashion Week in January during Monday's episode of The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon .

Portman, 43, shared how Rihanna's words helped her deal with her divorce from her ex-husband, Benjamin Millepied.

"It was an amazing experience for me," Portman said. "I think every woman going through a divorce should get to have Rihanna say to her that she's a bad [expletive] ... It was exactly what I needed."

Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon showed footage of the moment that captures Rihanna embracing Portman before telling her she is a fan and calling her one of the "hottest" women in Hollywood.

"I don't get excited about anybody, but like, I [expletive] love you," Rihanna adds before hugging Portman again.

Portman and Millepied finalized their divorce in February after quietly splitting in 2023. The pair, who met on the set of Black Swan in 2010, were married nearly 11 years and have two children, son Aleph and daughter Amalia.

Reports surfaced in August 2023 that Portman and Millepied had separated after his alleged affair.

Portman will next star in the series Lady in The Lake , an adaptation of the Laura Lippman novel that premieres Friday on Apple TV+. Millepied, a dancer and choreographer, most recently worked on Dune: Part Two .