Natalie Portman steals show on Cannes red carpet

Israeli-born actress and director Natalie Portman wowed crowds at the opening night of the 69th Cannes Film Festival last night as she stepped out in a plunging red Dior gown.

The Oscar winner swapped her home in Paris – a city she recently said she feels ‘nervous’ as a Jew – for the bright lights of the French Riviera, stepping out with her choreographer husband Benjamin Millepied.

Their red carpet appearance at the Grand Theatre Lumiere comes ahead of the premiere of Ms. Portman’s directorial debut, her adaptation of Amos Oz’s memoir ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness’.

The 33-year-old optioned the rights to the book over tea with the Israel Prize winner, shooting the film over 40 days in Jerusalem last year.

As well as writing the film’s Hebrew screenplay, Ms. Portman – a mother-of-one – will star in the film as Oz’s mother.

A Tale of Love and Darkness will show out of competition at Cannes next week.