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It’s not unheard of for actors to physically morph themselves to fit into the skin of their on-screen characters. Natalie Portman is an actress who did this for her role in the 2010 movie 'Black Swan', and has admitted as much, saying that while she prepared, she became so thin and bony she thought she would die.
The 2010 psychological thriller led the actress to win an Academy Award for her work, after receiving critical acclaim for her portrayal of troubled ballerina Nina Sawyers -– a role that pushed her to both her physical and mental limits.
Natalie Portman has revealed she was asked to get 'as small as possible' for her Oscar-winning performance as Nina in Black Swan.
What was the 'Black Swan' diet for Natalie Portman?
As reported by New York Post reporter Mary Huhn, Natalie Portman got up at 5 a.m., worked out five to eight hours a day, and stuck to a 1,200-calorie-a-day vegan diet. She lost 20 pounds in six months.
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Natalie famously endured a grueling training regime to get into character for the movie, taking dance lessons for up to 8 hours a day, six days a week, under the guidance of retired New York City ballet dancer Mary Helen Bowers.
Natalie Portman had to follow the diet and regime of a real ballerina. The diet consisted of a few grapes for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and a few more grapes for dinner while working 16 hours a day.
She was required to follow this highly restrictive diet to achieve the petite body type commonly associated with ballerinas, losing 20 pounds in six months by drastically reducing her food intake. It was reported at the time that Portman followed a strict calorie-controlled diet and mainly relied on fruits and vegetables to get her through the intensive rehearsals.
Becoming 'as small as possible' For the Academy-Winning Role
Dramatic weight loss is always an attention-grabber, especially when it comes to actors. But sometimes, roles in great films demand it. Black Swan is one such role for Natalie Portman. It is a fascinating thriller about the dark world of ballet, and both Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis have been praised for their performances, with Natalie winning a Best Actress Oscar.
Portman ate the way that dancers do, as ballerinas don't eat very much, and we wouldn't call their eating habits healthy. Robert Brace, who used to dance with the Metropolitan Opera Ballet, explained.
ccording to ABC News, the actress shared that once the movie was done shooting, she made sure to get back to a normal way of eating. She also ate carbs again, explaining,
"The [day after filming ended] I was like, pasta, pasta, pasta! No working out. It was pretty immediate. I was ready to leave the ballet life."
Thus, while it is true that 'Black Swan' is a psychological thriller that amassed widespread critical acclaim and landed Natalie Portman her first Academy Award besides a horde of other accolades, Portman’s rendition of the darkly mercurial ballerina might’ve gained her endless recognition, however, beyond the recognition she received, Portman alone understands the immense discipline required to embody the character with such dedication.
