Anyone who has ever seen a ballet performance knows how physically demanding this dance form is.
The dancers appear to be weightless as they glide across the stage, but in reality they are just extremely physically fit and skilled, reports N1.
Considering that, it was not easy for Natalie Portman to play a ballet dancer in the psychological thriller Black Swan. The actress revealed that she had to go through an extremely demanding training regimen for the film.
"Usually, we started the day swimming crawl and breaststroke in a length of six kilometers. Then came two hours of ballet exercises and strength training," she said. In addition, Portman was on a diet consisting of carrots and almonds, writes Unilad.
The film follows aspiring ballerina Nina Sayers, played by Portman. Her team is preparing for the Swan Lake performance. Nina wants to be cast as the lead, the fragile White Swan and the sensual and powerful Black Swan.
She manages to pull off the part, but as the film progresses, the line between what's real and what's not becomes more blurred, and Nina's hallucinations become more disturbing.
She won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role
Portman stated that the tough training regimen for the film helped her understand the character better.
“The physical discipline really helped me understand the emotional side of the character. You get a feel for the lifestyle of a ballet dancer, which only involves exercise. "You don't drink, you don't go out with friends, you don't eat much and you constantly put your body in extreme pain," she explained.
Her eight hours of training, swimming, ballet and crossfit finally paid off when she won an Oscar for her role in this film in 2011, reports Index.hr.
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