“ It was a formative second in my life , ” Natalie said of the viral get together , which take place only a few weeks before her divorce was finalized .

A fun new hobby or a bit of journaling might be helpful for some when navigating a toughbreakup. However, forNatalie Portman, a run-in withRihannawas precisely what she needed to get through it.

For context, it wasconfirmed by Peoplein March that Natalie had recently finalized her divorce from Benjamin Millepied following reports that he’d allegedlycheated on her.

Aftermuch speculationabout their marriage, it was revealed that Natalie quietly filed for divorce from the choreographerin Julylast year. She and Benjamin — who met on the set ofBlack Swanin 2009 — were married for 11 years and share two children: Aleph, 13, and Amalia, 7.

So, just a month before Natalie’sdivorce was finalized, she attended the Dior Haute Couture show in Paris, where she met Rihanna for the first time.

Video footageof the encounter shows the two superstars overwhelmed with excitement as they embraced outside the venue. “You are one of the hottest bitches in Hollywood forever,” Rih told Natalie, who replied in complete awe: “I’m gonna faint…I’m gonna blackout.”

Anyone will know it’s quite an achievement to make Rihanna feel starstruck, and now, six months later, Natalie has emphasized just how much the moment meant to her, too.

Appearing onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonon Monday, the Oscar-winner said her run-in with Rih came at the perfect time amid her divorce — which, as we know now, was finalized only a few weeks after the Dior show took place on January 22.

“It was an amazing experience for me,” she said after Jimmy brought up the viral footage. “I think every woman going through a divorce should get to have Rihanna say to her that she’s a bad bitch.”

This marks the first time Natalie has addressed the split since news broke that the divorce was official.

Before this, theMay Decemberstar had only ever commented onthe public speculationsurrounding their marriage, tellingVanity Fairin February: “It’s terrible, and I have no desire to contribute to it.”

You can watch her full appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonhere.

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Natalie Portman smiling in a formal black outfit, standing against an ornate, light-colored background

NBC / YouTube / Todd Owyoung / NBC via Getty Images

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied are photographed together outdoors, dressed in formal attire, with an elegant building in the background

Natalie Portman and Benjamin Millepied pose together on the red carpet, with Lauren wearing a strapless red dress and floral headpiece

Rihanna at a celebrity event, wearing a strapless gown

Rihanna at an event, wearing a strapless leather outfit and a statement red gemstone necklace. She looks over her shoulder with a serious expression. "Fenty" is visible in the background

Natalie Portman on the red carpet in a strapless, sparkling gown, posing against a textured backdrop

Natalie Portman in a floral-embellished dress, smiling and sitting on a talk show set with a cityscape backdrop

Natalie Portman, in a strapless dress and diamond necklace, poses smiling with Benjamin Millepied, dressed in a tuxedo, at an event

Natalie Portman poses on the red carpet in a black gown with gold chain straps

Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman pose together on the red carpet vs a close-up of Natalie Portman on the red carpet

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Rihanna recording at Paris Fashion Week vs Rihanna with a phone in her hand during Paris Fashion Week