Natalie Portman, Benjamin Millepied Say "I Do" to Gay Marriage

Oscar winner and fiancé become latest celebrity signers of Freedom to Marry's open letter to President Obama

By Gina Serpe Jun 07, 2011 4:00 PMTags
Natalie Portman, Benjamin MillepiedElder Ordonez/INFphoto.com

Love conquers all. In theory.

In reality, there's still a way to go before the law catches up to common sense, and Natalie Portman is the latest star to throw her weight behind helping make that happen.

The Oscar winner and mama-to-be (any week now, people!) have joined up with the now 100,000 people and counting on Freedom to Marry's "I Do" open letter calling on President Obama to declare his support of marriage equality.

"Natalie Portman and her fiancé, Benjamin Millepied, are in love and believe all loving couples should be able to share in the freedom to marry without discrimination," Evan Wolfson, the organization's president, said.

"That is why they are joining the more than 100,000 people on Freedom to Marry's Say 'I Do' open letter calling on the president to do the right thing and become part of America's majority for marriage."

The campaign was launched in March, and celebrities and equality-loving citizens alike quickly joined forces to make their voices heard.

"Freedom to Marry's goal is to end the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage once and for all," the organization states. "Drawing on the history of other social justice movements in the United States, we know that victory will ultimately come from persuading either Congress or the Supreme Court to end marriage discrimination.

"To achieve that victory, we must secure the freedom to marry in a critical mass of states and [gain] majority support across the country."

In addition to Portman and Millepied, star signers include Anne Hathaway, Jane Lynch, Martin Sheen, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi, Eric McCormack, Lily Tomlin, Melissa Etheridge, LeAnn Rimes, Mya and Rufus Wainright.