Natalie Portman Explains Why She Left L.A. to Raise 2 Kids Outside the U.S.: ‘They’re Very Good at Privacy Here’

• Natalie Portman opens up about loving life in Paris with her two children

• The actress appreciates French manners, privacy and cultural differences

• She says Paris offers constant stimulation, from art exhibits to dinner parties

Natalie Portman is getting candid about how much she loves living overseas.

The May December star, 43, gushed about her life in Paris, where she lives with her two children – Aleph, 13, and Amalia, 8 – in a cover story for Net-a-Porter. “I find the people here are actually incredibly friendly – you just have to know how to interact, so that we’re not the ones being rude,” she told the outlet. “Now, when I go back to the U.S., I’m like, ‘Oh,’ I would go into a store and not say hello to everyone there? It’s weird.”

She added, “I think we have an assumption that Western cultures are all the same, and kind of evened out by all this pop culture that everyone consumes. It’s not true: it’s extremely specific here, and the culture is very different in both deep and surface ways.”

Despite the cordial greetings to strangers that may seem odd to the average city dweller, Portman said the Parisians understand her boundaries. “They’re very good at privacy here,” she revealed. “I feel like the biggest compliment is ‘elle est très discrète’ [‘she is very discreet’].”

Portman, who shares her two children with ex-husband Benjamin Millepied, said she’s grateful for being able to raise them with the politeness and appreciation for affection that comes with living in France.

“All the kids that come to my house are, like, ‘Bonjour Madame,’ and give me the bise [cheek-to-cheek kiss],” she explained. “And before they leave, they are, like, ‘Thank you for having me,’ and if I’m not nearby, they’ll come and find me to say it.”

The proud mom, who grew up in Long Island, N.Y., also expressed how much she enjoys the overall cultural aesthetics of the Parisian lifestyle, noting that even the “cold and gray” weather doesn’t diminish the amount of elevated entertainment there is to indulge in.

“There’s always some incredible exhibit or concert or dinner party or writers in town — something fascinating and stimulating happening. And the frequent vacations are so clutch!”

After being married for 11 years, Portman filed for divorce in July 2023. It was finalized in February 2024. The two adults have chosen to co-parent their children amicably.

“[Natalie’s] biggest priority has been ensuring a smooth transition for her children,” a source close to the former couple told PEOPLE in March 2024. “She and Ben really love their kids and are equally focused on being the best co-parents they can be. Nothing is more important.”

Read the original article on People