Darren Aronofsky's Mind Games Failed on 'Black Swan'

It's been 15 years since Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, showed us the lengths one dancer would go to for the role of her lifetime.

The gritty indie, sometimes shot without permits in New York City, follows Nina (Portman) as she struggles to fit the nuanced lead roles of a new production of Swan Lake, lacking the easy confidence of rival dancer Lily (Kunis) and feeling the extreme pressure from her predatory director (Vincent Cassel) and her obsessive mother (Barbara Hershey).

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In a new retrospective interview with Vogue, Aronofsky, Portman, and Kunis revealed some of their working dynamic during the film. This included Aronofsky's attempts to stoke a real-life rivalry between the actors.

Aronofsky admitted he tried to create that tension between his leads.

"My take is that I was trying to be a sneaky director and make them argue," he said. His strategy involved telling each actor that the other was outperforming her. The plan backfired.

"Mila and Natalie both realized very quickly what I was doing and made fun of me, so it quickly became a joke that we all understood," Aronofsky said. "They're both very clever and were instantly privy to whatever trick I was playing."

Both actors saw through the manipulation within days. Portman confirmed this.

"I remember being separated from Mila and that we weren't in the same space a lot when we weren't shooting," she said. "Darren made some comment early on, like, 'Ya know, Nat, Mila's dancing so well.' And I was like, 'Of course she is! She's so fucking talented and I love her so much and I'm happy she's doing a great job!'"

"Darren would tell me, 'Nat is working really, really hard. She's not even taking Saturdays and Sundays off.' Then I would text Nat and she'd be like, 'No, I'm not?'" Kunis said.

This failed manipulation should remind us that your lead actors are likely smarter than you think. Attempting psychological manipulation won't always create authentic performances. (It might create running jokes at your expense.) Effective direction often comes from honest collaboration instead.

Despite the attempted trick, Portman described their professional relationship fondly.

"Black Swan was the first time I felt like I had a mind meld with a director, where each of us always knew exactly what to say. Every time we talked, it felt like he gave me a little key that unlocked a scene for me."

Filmmakers, remember to respect your actors' intelligence, embrace the collaborative process, and understand that the best performances will probably come from trust.

Black Swan returns to theaters on August 21st and 24th.