Rachel Cusk’s “Life of M” Sparks Literary Controversy Over Natalie Portman Portrayal

Rachel Cusk’s forthcoming novel *Life of M* is scheduled for U.S. publication on August 25. The 100-page work follows a writer who attempts to record the autobiography of a former child star living in Paris. The fictional star, known only as “M,” shares multiple biographical details with actress Natalie Portman—early fame in *Léon: The Professional* (1994), a ballet-film role that required intensive training, and a long-standing partnership with the Miss Dior brand. The overlap has ignited a literary scandal, with insiders debating whether the novel is a thinly veiled roman à clef and whether Cusk and Portman are friends.

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Cusk, a British author celebrated for her autofiction series *Outline*, *Transit* and *Kudos*, has a history of blurring the line between narrator and author. After a hostile reception to her 2012 memoir *Aftermath*, she described a period of “creative death” and a reluctance to write fiction that felt “fake and embarrassing.” Her earlier nonfiction, including the 2009 travel memoir *The Last Supper: A Summer in Italy*, was withdrawn following a threatened libel suit.

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Portman rose to fame at age 12 in *Léon: The Professional*, a role she has described as “uncomfortably sexualized.” She later won the Academy Award for Best Actress for *Black Swan* (2011), a performance that required a year of ballet training. Since moving to Paris, she has served as the face of Miss Dior and continues to act in film and television projects.

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Sources close to the actress say she finds *Life of M* “annoying” but not distressing, describing her current life as “one of the happiest moments” with a new baby on the way.

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Cusk’s publisher declines to identify M as Portman, framing the novel as an exploration of fame, identity, and the gap between public image and private reality.

Express Tribune

Multiple sources allege that the publisher is “skating the line” of speculation to boost sales, and that the narrative of a close friendship between Cusk and Portman is a fabrication designed to market the book.

Express Tribune

Critics also point to Cusk’s past legal entanglements over real-life portrayals, suggesting a pattern of using acquaintances as literary material without explicit permission.

Express Tribune

• Portman’s reaction: Some insiders describe her as “furious,” while others report she is merely “annoyed” and not losing sleep over the novel.

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• Friendship status: One source claims the women have met “maybe five or six times,” whereas earlier coverage highlighted a 2021 Instagram book-club interview that suggested a closer rapport.

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• No direct comment from either Cusk or Portman has been obtained to resolve these discrepancies.

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• “She’s using Natalie as a literary stand in for elite culture and elite people and as an opportunity to develop her idea that maybe ‘the self’ doesn’t exist,” — Stivers, senior editor at UnHerd.

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*Life of M* will reach U.S. readers on August 25 and Australian readers on August 31. No further statements from Cusk or Portman have been confirmed, and the debate over the novel’s real-life inspiration is expected to continue as the book circulates.

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