Natalie Portman Breaks Silence on Dance Double Feud
Credit: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Natalie Portman strikes back!
Three weeks after being slammed by Sarah Lane, the American Ballet Theater dancer who acted as her dance double in the hit film Black Swan, the actress breaks her silence.
"I know what went on," the star, 29, told E! News while promoting her new flick Your Highness. "We had an amazing experience making the movie. I don't want to tarnish it by entering it into nastiness"
She went on, "I'm really proud of everyone's work on the movie, my experience. I will have that forever. And it's nice for me to know about that no matter what kind of nastiness or gossip is going around."
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The feud was sparked when Lane told Dance Magazine that the actress barely did any of her own moves for the Oscar-winning role. "They were trying to create this facade that she had become a ballerina in a year-an-a-half," Lane complained.
Portman's fiance and the film's choreographer Benjamin Millepied jumped to her defense: "Honestly, 85% of that movie is Natalie," he told the L.A. Times.
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For her part, Portman is now focused on her next big role: Mom. The actress and Millepied, 33, are expecting their first child this summer. "I have to admit, it's really fun being able to take it easy and not worry about food," she said. "At the same time, you have to be healthy because there is a person inside me. I do love ice cream and desserts though!"
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6without the exceptional dancing this movie would not have received the good critical aclaim. The Oscar was for the acting, not the dancing, so be real -- you can't be a highly technical ballerina in a short time and, conversely you can't be a first class actress without many years of training and practice. So, why not credit the person who did the magnificent dancing? The story itself was stolen from every ballet movie made, contrived and predictable and they left out the best part of the dying Swan. It was only the exceptional acting and the fantastic dance solos which saved this from being a B movie. The producers should apologize to the ballerina and move on. . .
Honestly, the dancer made her share... signed for the part. Who cares what she has to say about Natalie not dancing. Isn't that what they hired HER for? If Nat did do all/most of the moves, what did they need Sarah for? What a nasty immature move on Sarah. She sounds like a classless little 5 year old. Yes, Sarah... you had to earn your money... get over it.
She should have at least acknowledged American Ballet Theater in the Oscar Award if she doesn't have to acknowledge her double. Natalie may have background in dancing but for ballet skills it takes years of rigid training for a dancer to be able to have such a performance like in the movie. It's just natural that the choreographer may come to her defense since he's the husband of Natalie. I think her one year and a half training is to make her have the ballerina figure in preparation for the movie.
give the dancer some credit.
I am sorry but I find it classless that Natalie did not come out after and say that the dancer did a great job and support a fellow artist with gracious praise. It is important to remember the small or less recoginzed contributors. It is classy to share the spot light.
i can't believe this is still ongoing. at the end of the day the award was for acting and not dancing, and she deserved the oscar. Plain and simple! I must admit I haven't heard any other stunt double complain about not being thanked during an Oscar speech and maybe if this Sarah was more personal with Natalie, she may have thanked her. But we don't even know if they knew each other that well. No ONE GAVE HER AN AWARD FOR DANCING. Let it go.