Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman move to Paris for Millepied’s new job

Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman’s husband Benjamin Millepied has been named the new director of dance for the Paris Opera Ballet.

“I certainly knew about the position, but I also knew that there were candidates from within the company. I was surprised, but I felt very quickly that the artistic dialogue between us was an exciting one,” Millepied told The New York Times while recalling the connection between him and Stéphane Lissner, who will become the Opera’s artistic director in 2015. “After a while I did feel there was a really good chance I might get the position. Which made my head spin.” The choreographer and former New York City Ballet principal dancer will inherit the position from Brigitte Lefèvre, who has been the Paris Opera Ballet director since 1995 and plans to retire next year.

Even though he will not assume his duties at the Opera until September of 2014, he and Portman are already making preparations to move their family to Paris.