Moby Apologizes to Natalie Portman After Saying They Dated

Moby wants Natalie Portman—and the rest of the world—to know he’s sorry.

In his newly released memoir, Then It Fell Apart, the 53-year-old artist claimed he had dated a young Portman after they were introduced back in 1999. The actress publicly denied the alleged romance, telling Harper’s Bazaar UK: “I was surprised to hear that he characterized the very short time that I knew him as dating because my recollection is a much older man being creepy with me when I just had graduated high school.”

Moby caught wind of the recent interview and doubled down on his claims via Instagram. He posted an old photo of he and the actress, and accused her of “misrepresenting the truth” of their relationship.

After increasing backlash, Moby has changed his tune. He returned to Instagram on Saturday to issue an apology to Portman for his reaction to her Harper‘s interview, as well as his behavior 20 years ago.

“As some time has passed I’ve realized that many of the criticisms leveled at me regarding my inclusion of Natalie in Then It Fell Apart are very valid,” he wrote. “[…] I apologize, to Natalie, as well as the other people I wrote about in Then It Fell Apart without telling them beforehand. Also, I accept that given the dynamic of our almost 14 year age difference I absolutely should’ve acted more responsibly and respectfully when Natalie and I first met […]”

You can read his full apology below.

Then It Fell Apart also includes an embarrassing anecdote involving André 3000. In the book, Moby recounts trying to hug the Outkast member at the 2002 MTV Music Video Awards, and getting denied after suggesting they collaborate.

Per NME:

In another passage from Then It Fell Apart, Moby recounts the time he was at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards and he approached André 3000, a former tourmate, and tried to hug him, after which the OutKast rapper “quickly stepped backward.”

Moby then says he asked 3 Stacks if he’d be up for collaborating on some new music, to which André allegedly replied, “Moby, you know I like you, but just too many people are hating on you right now.”