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Rachel Cusk Defends Life of M as Fiction, Not Portman

8/19/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The novel *Life of M*, due August 25, is being reported as a thinly veiled “dark portrait” of actress Natalie Portman.
UnHerd’s July embargo-breaking report and The Telegraph called the book a “literary assassination” of Portman, while a source close to her said she is merely an acquaintance.
Author Rachel Cusk later said the character M is invented, reflects the author, and calls the depiction hurtful and factually inaccurate.

History

Historical Context

In September 1988 Salman Rushdie’s *The Satanic Verses* was published, prompting Ayatollah Khomeini to issue a death fatwa on 14 February 1989. The decree sparked bans in 20 countries, book burnings and a bounty on Rushdie’s life, cementing a global clash over artistic freedom. The 2024 dispute over Rachel Cusk’s *Life of M* echoes that same tension between literary expression and defamation concerns.

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Story summary

The novel *Life of M*, due August 25, is being reported as a thinly veiled “dark portrait” of actress Natalie Portman.
UnHerd’s July embargo-breaking report and The Telegraph called the book a “literary assassination” of Portman, while a source close to her said she is merely an acquaintance.
Author Rachel Cusk later said the character M is invented, reflects the author, and calls the depiction hurtful and factually inaccurate.

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