Paul Mescal and recently divorced Natalie Portman seen socalising in London

The two actors were seen chatting and smiling as they enjoyed a few cigarettes outside Bar 69 in Islington wearing matching white t-shirts.

Natalie (42) has just divorced Benjamin Millepied so is reportedly free and single.

“If my drama school self knew that I would be talking to you, I would pinch myself many, many times,” the Maynooth man told Natalie during a Variety interview late last year.

Black Swan star Natalie looked relaxed in a simple white tee paired with faded jeans, whilst Paul matched the casual vibe in a white shirt, teamed with high-waisted black trousers and classic Adidas Sambas.

During their Variety interview last year, the pair appeared to become quite close.

Natalie complimented Paul on his sex scenes with Andrew Scott in All of Us Strangers, describing them as “very hot but also very tender.”

“I really loved the intimate scenes in All of Us Strangers. They were very hot but also very tender. Why do we see that so rarely, and particularly for same-sex relationships?

Paul responded by saying: “Films like this are an indication of a distance that we’ve travelled, but ultimately there’s quite a ways to go. All I can talk about is my experience with filming those scenes.

“Andrew Scott’s character, Adam, who is in his mid-40s, has a difficult relationship to sex. My character serves as a safe landing space for him to re-explore his sexuality. I think sex in film, when it can be healing and sexy at the same time, that’s when it’s at its best.”

Natalie replied that “it’s such an antidote to all the other depictions of sex that are bombarding us.”

To which Paul answered: “I don’t know about you, but I’ve been lucky that I haven’t been in a sex scene in a film where I think, “I don’t know why this is here.”

“I don’t know what your relationship to that is, but I also think that the sex scene in May December is a huge moment and so stark.

The Irish actor also gave a run down of how he trained for his forthcoming appearance in the new Gladiator film.

“Lots of protein shakes. It’s a big departure from everything that I’ve done before and so unbelievably fun. It feels like just exercising a totally different skill set. I’m having a ball. We’re going to finish it soon.

“Something people quite rightfully would associate with you as an actor is the level of transformation, both psychologically and physically, that goes into it,” he added.