Rachel Cusk novel Life of M draws scrutiny over Natalie Portman parallels

The novel and character parallels

Rachel Cusk published her novel Life of M on 25 August 2026 in the United Kingdom and the United States. The book follows a writer who proposes to ghostwrite the autobiography of an internationally known film actress whom she met at a bookstore. Readers and literary reviewers quickly identified specific details in the protagonist M that mirror the life of actress Natalie Portman. In the text, M began her career as a child actor in a film where her mother insisted on removing sexual scenes, mirroring Portman's 1994 breakout role in Léon. The character also achieves critical acclaim for portraying a ballerina, references a French cosmetics company, and resides in a European capital. Both Portman and Cusk live in Paris, while Portman has served as a longtime brand ambassador for Dior.

Literary circles and critical reception

Rumors surrounding the book began circulating in July 2026 when advance promotional copies reached critics. Writing for the British outlet UnHerd, journalist Valerie Stivers reported on discussions within New York literary circles concerning Cusk's portrayal of Portman. Reviewers across British media responded with sharp assessments of the characterisation. The Telegraph characterized the novel as a literary assassination of its subject, while The Times described the text as a calculated form of humiliation. Reviewers noted that M is depicted as an alienated figure who believes reality can be engineered, struggling to form genuine human emotion while navigating the pressures of fame.

The actress Natalie Portman has always seemed more like a person who wants to project an image of intelligence than a really intelligent person, and her decision to allow her friend Rachel Cusk to write a book about her seems to confirm it.

Prior relationship and industry reactions

The controversy follows several years of public professional interaction between the author and the actress. Portman, who operates a book club on Instagram, selected Cusk's work for monthly readings, hosted a discussion following the 2022 release of Second Place, and held an event on Cusk's novel Parade in 2024. Sources close to Portman stated that the actress felt distressed by the portrayal and rejected characterisations of a deep personal friendship, stating their relationship was confined to professional contacts. Neither Portman nor Cusk released formal public statements directly confirming or denying the inspiration behind the text.

Autofiction and historical lineage

Cusk addressed the nature of the book during an interview with The New York Times, maintaining that the work belongs firmly to fiction. The author explained that the narrative was constructed from a heterogeneous mixture of real experiences, invented plotlines, and personal observations. Literary commentators noted that Life of M fits within a lineage of celebrity satire and roman à clef works, drawing comparisons to Virginia Woolf's Orlando in 1928 and Lauren Weisberger's 2003 novel The Devil Wears Prada.

It is created from a heterogeneous mix of real things, invented plots, and personal material.