Darren Aronofsky defends his Black Swan

Posted by Allan Dart Mar 28, 2011

Last Friday, Natalie Portman’s BLACK SWAN dancing double Sarah Lane told EW that Portman—who won the Best Actress Oscar for her role—only danced five percent of the full-body shots in the film. Lane also claimed that one of BLACK SWAN’s producers asked her not to speak publicly about her work during Oscar season. Well, in response, Aronofsky released a statement through studio Fox Searchlight.

EW published the director’s riposte:

“Here is the reality. I had my editor count shots. There are 139 dance shots in the film. 111 are Natalie Portman untouched. 28 are her dance double Sarah Lane. If you do the math that’s 80% Natalie Portman. What about duration? The shots that feature the double are wide shots and rarely play for longer than one second. There are two complicated longer dance sequences that we used face replacement. Even so, if we were judging by time over 90% would be Natalie Portman.

And to be clear Natalie did dance on pointe in pointe shoes. If you look at the final shot of the opening prologue, which lasts 85 seconds, and was danced completely by Natalie, she exits the scene on pointe. That is completely her without any digital magic. I am responding to this to put this to rest and to defend my actor. Natalie sweated long and hard to deliver a great physical and emotional performance. And I don’t want anyone to think that’s not her they are watching. It is.”