Natalie Portman Thought She Was 'Going to Die' on 'Black Swan' Set

By Jett Wells Posted Dec 29th 2010 04:29PM

It takes a tough artist to dive so deeply into character that the pain becomes real and you consider your own mortality. Conspiracy theorists have long believed Heath Ledger's role as the Joker in 'The Dark Knight' killed him, and it turns out Natalie Portman might have gotten trapped inside a character too. In an Entertainment Weekly cover story, Portman recalls the emotional struggle to become Nina Sayers for director Darren Aronofsky's 'Black Swan.'

"There were some nights that I thought I literally was going to die," she says. "It was the first time I understood how you could get so wrapped up in a role that it could sort of take you down."

Portman says she had serious doubts the film would ever get made, which seems odd now considering she's a front-runner for the Best Actress Academy Award. (Note to ambitious young movie producers: whenever a movie seems in jeopardy, it helps to plug in a lesbian sex scene.)

"Everyone was so worried about who was going to want to see this movie," Portman says. "I remember them being like, 'How do you get guys to a ballet movie? How do you get girls to a thriller?' And the answer is a lesbian scene. Everyone wants to see that."

Of course, the film gave Portman more than night terrors and Oscar clout: She recently announced she's pregnant and engaged to her 'Swan' dance partner, Benjamin Millepied.

Tags: black swan, natalie Portman

Comments

(28)

Wednesday 29 December

By Nico Toscani

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Not the first controversial sex scene in an Aranofsky film. The "butt to butt" scene in Requiem For A Dream is pretty intense as well.

Sunday 02 January

By dgbvc

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oh great article , Personally, I love this movie, and have seen it twice. I can't imagine why they would think that lots of people wouldn't want to see this film.My boyfriend and i both think so ...He is almost 11year older than me .i met him via uniform'edmeet.c 'oma nice place for s'ee'king Army, Navy, Mari'nes, Air Force, Police Force and their admires.just love it

By rtjfgrtj

I was hoping for more dance...less wierdo's...instead I got more wierdos and less dance....I love this , So does My boyfriend .he is almost 11year older than me .i met him via ageg apsingles.c 'om a nice place for seeking age le ss love.which gives you a chance to make your life better and open opportunities for you to meet the attractive young girls and treat you like a king. Maybe you wanna check it out or tell your friends.. Just love it

By Tom

get over yourself natalie, you play make-believe for a living

By sem

get a grip, natalie, it's just acting. it's not gonna kill you and you're certainly not doing anything even remotely significant for the world.

By NotMe

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@sem: And I see you consider posting inane critique on a message board to be something significant for the world? :P

The fact that that people in America think the creation of art is insignificant, is part of what's wrong with our country.

By Stacy

It's a toss up between Natalie Portman and drummer Travis Barker for longest neck in human history.

Saturday 01 January

By Dave

I think they both lose to Andrew Garfield, The Human Giraffe.

By frank

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Natalie Portman is so beautiful I cannot imagine what swirls around in a head that bad mouths her. Sad

By Bill

Natalie is a great actress and certainly deserves Oscar props, however, meeting someone on a movie set, getting pregnant, then announcing a marriage, is so cliche. I can only hope she awakens from the dream in time to save herself from this too, too, Hollywood cliche!

By krussrn

Saw "Black Swan" today. It was spell-binding. The suspense kept the audience riveted in their seats. It's absolutely genius how this director was able to draw the viewer in to this psychological thriller . . . all the way to the very end.

Natalie Portman should have "Best Actress" sewn up; can't imagine any other leading actress who can possibly give themselves so totally to make a character so real (and so personal for viewers).

By disgusting

'How do you get guys to a ballet movie? How do you get girls to a thriller?' And the answer is a lesbian scene. Everyone wants to see that."

No they don't and that is exactly why I won't be seeing the movie. fcuking hollywierd anyway

By Mike

I don't care for the lesbo aspect of this movie....I'd rather see a GAY scene with all the male stars....:-D

Thursday 30 December

By tessy

The concept of this movie intrigued me, and I wanted to see it so badly the moment I saw the trailer. My husband went without knowing anything about it, and admitted afterward that he thought it was going to be a "chick flick". He enjoyed it, and I think, as a guy, he would have liked it with or without the lesbian scene. Personally, I love this movie, and have seen it twice. I can't imagine why they would think that lots of people wouldn't want to see this film.

By Loogey

I was hoping for more dance...less wierdo's...instead I got more wierdos and less dance....

By Judith

Ah, sexist attitudes. I'm a female, and I like thrillers and don't like ballet. I know plenty of other women and girls who feel the same way.

By Janeyre

I like both...

By vic gibson

No its entirely a fabricated fad idea that everyone wants to see lesbian sex scenes I do not nor have i ever cared to see it. its something hollywood wants to teach people .
sorry but not everyone is that shallow and thinks its hot

By Dee

Thought the Lesbo scenes where removed from the film???? Am I wrong???

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