Mila Kunis shared her intense dieting experience while filming the psychological thriller “Black Swan.”
“I basically danced a lot and barely ate—though I probably shouldn’t admit that,” the actress revealed in a recent interview. She spoke alongside her co-star Natalie Portman in a piece published by Vogue.
She elaborated, saying, “I mainly consumed soup and danced for, like, 12 hours a day.” The interview aired on Friday.
Now at 42, Kunis noted that both she and Portman, who portrayed a professional ballerina, were originally given just three months to prepare for their roles.
After some funding issues arose, the timeframe expanded to six months. “Darren, the director, was scrambling to secure more funding,” she added.
Kunis mentioned, “It was tough on Darren, but Nat and I ended up spending an extra three months dancing, which I loved.”
As for her character Lily in “Black Swan,” Kunis talked about the physical toll the ballet sequences took on her. “We shot those dance scenes for hours; I ended up with bruises all over my ribs from being lifted repeatedly,” she recalled.
She also expressed concern during filming, noting she believed her shoulder might have been dislocated. “I was in a bad spot, but Darren sent me to get acupuncture,” she said.
Portman, who took on the role of Nina Sayers, shared that she gained valuable insights into the ballet world during the shoot.
“I was astonished by how much I learned from this former New York City ballet dancer I trained with. It felt almost like investigative journalism while doing Pliés,” she stated.
Reflecting back, Kunis first discussed her significant 20-pound weight loss in a 2012 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, mentioning that her body has “never been the same” since.
After shedding the weight for her role, she said, “I reached 95 pounds, and while I was muscular, I felt more like skin and bones.” She explained how the changes affected her overall physique: “My shape really altered.”
When asked about taking on another role requiring weight loss, Kunis replied, “I’m not actively seeking it out, but if the chance arises, I’d consider it.”
