Ellen DeGeneres played matchmaker for Kravitz and Portman

Comedienne Ellen Degeneres has revealed she once attempted to set Lenny Kravitz and Natalie Portman up on a date without realising the actress was attached to the man who would become her husband.

The comic recalled the embarrassing mix up on her chat show on Tuesday (12Nov13) when Kravitz was a guest.

After asking about the rocker's current dating status, DeGeneres reminded him, "I tried to fix you up at a party, with someone who already had a boyfriend, it turned out."

Kravitz said, "I remember that. It was Natalie Portman - not some random girl... She (DeGeneres) has a very Jewish momma thing with me, it's wonderful."

At the time of the incident, Portman was dating French choreographer Benjamin Millepied, who is now the Black Swan star's husband.

DeGeneres had another shot at trying to find single Kravitz a new mate when she suggested he should romance her guest DJ for the day, Carmen Electra.

Electra, who was previously married to Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, seemed keen on the idea, and said, "He's one of the most gorgeous men on the planet. And he plays guitar. He's a winner."