Natalie Portman: I’ve Asked Cate Blanchett for Parenting Advice

Between her 4-year-old son Aleph and a non-stop acting career, Portman looks to fellow actress and mom Cate Blanchett for some parental guidance.

 “Very early on, I asked [Cate] about being a parent,” Portman says in the August issue of Harper’s Bazaar. “I said, ‘How do you do it? You’re a mom. You’re the best at what you do.’ She said, ‘You just do. Stressing about it doesn’t help.’ ”

Portman, 34, and her husband, choreographer Benjamin Millepied, 38, are both very dedicated to their careers, but also agree on the importance of family.

“Most men I know are dealing with the same issues,” the A Tale of Love and Darkness actress explains. “They say they feel like if they work too hard they won’t have enough time with their families. Maybe those questions need to be asked of men, too. Maybe the men need better questions.”

Portman, who has been residing in Paris for the past two years with her family, shared the differences between living in the City of Light and the United States.

“It’s magical. But the cultures are different in ways you don’t even realize,” Portman shares. “And there’s stuff you don’t know you’ll miss until you’re away — like indoor gyms where kids can just run around and jump. They don’t have those there.”

The Black Swan star adds, “[In Paris], if you’re running around on the playground chasing your kid and playing a game, people think you’re nuts.”