Aug 18
'10
Natalie Portman crazies it up for ‘The Black Swan’ in the first trailer

portman3

Previously, we’ve done some substantial coverage of the new, as-yet-unreleased film, The Black Swan. It was directed by Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler, Requiem for a Dream), and it stars Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis and my French lover Vincent Cassel. Initially, the script for this thing leaked very early, and the basic plot was always known – Natalie plays the star ballerina, with Vincent Cassel playing the director/mentor/lover/tormentor role. Natalie disintegrates, and Mila Kunis, a rising star in the ballet world, enters her life. Crazy, druggy lesbian sex ensues. Maybe. This was also the film where Natalie met her current boyfriend, ballet dancer Benjamin Millepied, certified hottie. Anyway, the trailer was just released and it looks… f-ck, it looks really good.

CASSEL!!!! Oh, I’m so SO happy there’s so much Cassel in this trailer, because it gives me hope that there’s lots of Cassel in the film. Mila Kunis looks pretty awesome too – it’s nice to see her playing an interesting, dark dramatic role with a challenging director, and judging her solely by the trailer, it looks like she held her own. Natalie… well, she’s doing a good job of looking kind of crazy and strung out. Thoughts? Would you still see this movie even though Natalie is kind of a smug bitch in real life? I would. But I’m doing it for Cassel and Mila.

portman2

portman1

I dedicate the rest of this post to Cassel:

Dec. 07, 2009 - New York, New York, United States - VINCENT CASSEL, NATALIE PORTMAN.on 1st day of set of ''Black Swan'' shooting outside.of Lincoln Center 12-07-09.Photos by - Photos,INC©2009...K63911JBB. © Red Carpet Pictures

Vincent Cassel attending the de Chanel Party held at the Canal + TV chanel tent during the 63rd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France on May 18, 2010. Photo by Hahn-Nebinger-Orban/ABACAPRESS.COM Photo via Newscom

36265, NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Monday December 7, 2009. Natalie Portman and co-star Vincent Cassel film en emotionally charged scene for Black Swan by a fountain in NYC. Cassel is seen touching Portmain's cheek in the scene, while Portman maintains a sad demeanor. In between filming, Cassel bursts into laughter while Portmain, still keeping her hands in her pockets, manages a slight smile. The film also stars Winona Ryder. Photograph: PacificCoastNews.com

36265, NEW YORK, NEW YORK - Monday December 7, 2009. Natalie Portman and co-star Vincent Cassel film en emotionally charged scene for Black Swan by a fountain in NYC. Cassel is seen touching Portmain's cheek in the scene, while Portman maintains a sad demeanor. In between filming, Cassel bursts into laughter while Portmain, still keeping her hands in her pockets, manages a slight smile. The film also stars Winona Ryder. Photograph: PacificCoastNews.com

Header poster courtesy of Collider. Additional promotional images courtesy of USA Today.

Written by Kaiser

Share

Posted in Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman, Vincent Cassel


- TV Shows that outstayed their welcome [Pajiba]
- Goopy and Cameron Diaz went to a Coldplay concert [Lainey Gossip]
- The bacon milkshake! [D-Listed]
- Ashanti looks... good? [Go Fug Yourself]
- 20 great songs under 2 minutes [Fark]
- Snooki and J-Woww on notice [IDLYITW]
- Jennifer Aniston through the years [Popsugar]
- Kirsten Dunst looks so pretty here [Evil Beet]
- Mila Kunis without makeup [Celebslam]
- The awful cover letter all of Wall St. is mocking [Gawker]

44 Responses to “Natalie Portman crazies it up for ‘The Black Swan’ in the first trailer”

  1. Dorothy says:

    Now THIS is a movie that women should be going to see! Not that Eat, Pray, Love crap!

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  2. Siren6 says:

    Single White Female meets The Company! (little seen Neve Campbell/Robert Altman ballet movie).

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  3. scotchy says:

    i’m interested in going to the see this, but for Cassel , Kunis and Aronofsky.
    i can only hope that Portman won’t grate on my nerves.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  4. X says:

    wow very Cronenberg-esque…so seeing it! love Natalie and Mila, & Aronofsky is a potential genius!

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  5. scotchy says:

    i loved The Company. that was a great film.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  6. mslewis says:

    Nobody is going to pay to see this crap!!! However, I do love Mila Kunis.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  7. CandyKay says:

    I also like the visual reference to Britney Spears’ six-year-old video “Everytime,” in which the heroine emerges meaningfully from below the waterline in her bathtub.

    And the not-so-subtle substitution of real dancers in the long shots for heavily emoting actresses in the close-ups is very “Flashdance”.

    Even the understudy-as-shark concept seems to be borrowed from “All About Eve.”

    Does this movie have ANY original ideas?

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  8. stephy2485 says:

    Ack…
    WHY are they using those terrifying contacts?!?!
    I would imagine contacts like that would be a serious distraction for a dancer/the other dancers around them.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  9. gabs says:

    Looks like somebody wants an oscar ( *cough*smug bitch Portman *cough* )

    jeez im tired of movies doing the lesbian thing for shock value and to sell tickets its so..ughhh…

    Probably might see it for Mila. The stuff on her back freaks me out.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  10. Jackson says:

    Ahhh, I can’t wait for this film! Looks really good, and dark, which I like. And I like Natalie Portman! Does she have some nasty history that I don’t know about, lol? I think she is intelligent, beautiful and a good actress. IDK, I think she is captivating…

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  11. Chris says:

    CAndyKay, this is also giving me a huge flashdance vibe.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  12. RHONYC says:

    yo!

    sexy mr. cassel always plays the villain.

    miss goodie-goodie natalie goes to the dark side.

    add that with some meg griffin sexy with a dash of WINONA CLEPTO RIDER CRAZY!

    this looks goooood. :-)

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  13. TinaWithPom says:

    Can’t wait for the movie. The red contacts are distracting. In the mirror photo, Natalie looks like Madonna.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  14. PrettyTarheel says:

    One of my friends went to school with NP. She cut line for lunch all the time. He went from huge fan to hater by the end of his freshman year (99-00). Smug entitled bitch indeed.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  15. Fluffy Kitten Tail says:

    This is one of two movies I am dying to see. The other one being Catfish.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  16. Praise St. Angie! says:

    until Portman recants her support for Polanski, I’m not really interested in financially supporting her work.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  17. Kelley says:

    Too much rhinoplasty, waaay too much.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  18. Leticia says:

    Wow, the trailer makes the movie look great. Too bad that I won’t be able to see it, because I am personally boycotting the movies of all actors who publicly defended Roman Polanski.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  19. cherryberry says:

    I can’t wait to see this movie because Aronofsky always disturbs me. Natalie Portman, however, is an overrated wooden actress and I’m not sure why anyone casts her in anything.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  20. aenflex says:

    I wanna see the film, I’m a sucker for weird, dark and ballerina stuff. But I don’t share Kaiser’s opinion on the french fellow. I didnt watch the trailer yet, and was scrolling down reading the text, getting so built up for this amazing hottie, and when I saw this fellow I was ( ). Anyhow that’s why there are red cars and green cars.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  21. Jackson says:

    Bleh. I didn’t know she supported Polanski….

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  22. lena says:

    Slightly off topic, but if you guys want to hear some sexy Vincent Cassel singing…try his songs with Zap Mama called Paroles and Non, Non, Non…Love Zap Mama and love him

    short clip:
    http://www.headsup.com/ecards/3159/industry.html

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  23. She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named says:

    The Fly meets Single White Female, with feathers!!

    yeah, I absolutely won’t support Natalie Portman because of her stance on the child rapist Polanski.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  24. MissyA says:

    Not sure who the actress is who plays Natalie’s mother. . . but she’s absolutely frightening.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  25. Sophie says:

    I read the script, it’s pretty awesome. Vincent Cassel’s character is probably the second most important after Natalie’s so he will be in it a lot!

    And the lesbian sex is actually pretty important, it’s not done just to be shocking. It will sell tickets though!

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  26. danielle says:

    I’m all for not supporting supporters of Polansky – but I would like to support Mila – now there is talent!

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  27. buckley says:

    “jeez im tired of movies doing the lesbian thing for shock value and to sell tickets its so..ughhh…”

    so much word. Not only that but the lesbian is always crazy!
    See: Chloe

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  28. Kittypants says:

    @Missy A – Barbara Hershey is playing Natalie’s mother. Can’t wait to see this, not a big Portman fan but Cassel is always spellbinding.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  29. jzhz says:

    Cassel is soooo foxy. I can’t believe it, Natalie Portman is actually acting in this movie – she usually just stands around, waiting for someone to tell her how pretty she is! Looks like a good movie (though Mila Kunis still can’t act…).

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  30. GatsbyGal says:

    I love Aronofsky. I LOVE him. He always makes quality movies and the casting is always perfect. I’m not concerned about this at all.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  31. Pleister says:

    Looks good! Defenitely want to see this movie.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  32. LBees says:

    Something off in that poster?

    The photo looks like it was taken head-on, with NP looking straight at the camera, but her eye-makeup trail is much longer on the left. Looks rather lop-sided.

    Not really a fan of NP anyway, though I dig Mila. She just seems… like someone I didn’t like who I went to high school with. Irritating.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  33. Mare says:

    Natalie and Vincent are both excellent actors.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  34. anon says:

    Aronofsky’s name is on the polanski petition too but nobody mentions that………….

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  35. Mouse says:

    Monica Bellucci is one lucky girl. Vince makes me hot.

    I’m curious to watch this, but probably won’t see it in the theater. This sounds like a cross between Opera, by Dario Argento and Center Stage. Or maybe The Turning Point.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  36. rain says:

    Cassell, Portman and Kunis are all good actors. Natalie Portman is talented and very involved in the arts, not to mention a high-profile vegan and animal rights activist. She’s also high-class, which probably comes across as “smug” to many people. Hell, I’ve never met her – maybe she is smug and bitchy. But she’s very smart, and I admire her diverse talents.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  37. Snarky_Pup says:

    I agree with all of the others who have posted about lesbian love scenes being overused and overrated. Natalie seems bitchy and supporting Polanski? How creepy. I am sure someone will disagree with me on this but I have never seen the attraction with Mila. I just recall her as Ashton’s chubby buggy eyed gf from that 70′s show. I don’t get it. Anyway, won’t be seeing this one.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  38. Emily says:

    If I see this, it’ll be because of Mila. But I’m not sure that even her allure is strong enough to overcome my aversion to Portman.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  39. Kelly says:

    I don’t know. It just seems so… IS there a word for something that looks lame and squeaky and neurotic and yet boneless at the same time?

    I just don’t find these two women impressive. At all. And I think in order to not look like a whiny little bitch in roles like these, you need to have some gravitas; you need to be able to look the audience in the eye and SELL them crazy or sell them creepy transmogrification or wherever they’re going with this. I bet it’s not far enough. Hmm I feel sleepy.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  40. Diva says:

    Funny reading these comments that go back and forth on the acting talents of both Portman and Kunis!

    I think Portman is USUALLY a pretty good actress, but fairly one demensional. The role definitely has to suit her. But judging from the trailer, Kunis acts circles around her… in MY opinion!

    But these two seem to run the gammut of opinions!

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  41. Liana says:

    Hell, I’ve never met her – maybe she is smug and bitchy.
    ____________________

    I have, and she is.

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

  42. Steve says:

    From the trailer it looks like the main character is schizo, it would be funny to find out the plot involved two people in one body. the wing pattern scare from her back an the feather coming out might be mentally representation of another personality coming out, and the bloody eyes, an all the paranoia, an fear of the 2nd girl. so in short she would be competing with herself to be the lead of her body via a lead personality with the other pushed away, an the transition point would come to a crescendo when her whole swan makeup big show goes down.

    just an idea, as many movies have used schizophrenia as a background for a story an it always meshes so well that people see it all too late, kinda of like in real life.

    that’s how I see the trailer, it could just be the story mentioned by others an she flips out an mutates into a half swan half person, or already be that way you know like “Splash!” mermaid comes on land, it’s feasible, wasn’t there a story about a black swan or swan that became a woman in fairy tales, I seem to remember one as a kid. Yea! “The Swan Princess”, Adult version? O_o

    Report this comment as spam or abuse

Leave a Reply

Celebitchy aims to be a friendly, welcoming site where people can discuss entertainment stories and current events in a lighthearted, safe environment without fear of harassment, excessive negativity, or bullying. Different opinions, backgrounds, ages, and nationalities are welcome here - hatred and bigotry are not. If you make racist or bigoted remarks, comment under multiple names, or wish death on anyone you will be banned. There are no second chances if you violate one of these basic rules.

By commenting you agree to our comment policy

Use the "Report this comment as spam or abuse" link to ask the moderators to delete a comment if it's offensive. If your comment disappears, it may have been eaten by the spam filter. Please e-mail cbcomments at gmail.com to get it retrieved.

Get an icon next to your name by signing up for a free Gravatar

 
 
 
Legal Disclaimer| Privacy Policy | Comment Policy