What Did Mila Kunis Go Through to Master 'Black Swan’s' Ballet?
Her twelve-hour dance days, bruises, and extreme dedication revealed fully.
Marking the 15th anniversary of Black Swan, Mila Kunis revealed to Vogue how extreme the preparation for the ballerina thriller really was. Honestly, reading it, I couldn’t believe the toll it took.
Playing Lily — the free-spirited ballerina who both fascinates and threatens Natalie Portman’s Nina — meant "a lot of dancing and very little eating."
"My prep was a lot of dancing and very little eating — which I know you’re not supposed to say, but it’s the truth. I drank a lot of broth and danced for 12 hours a day," Kunis said.
"We were only supposed to have three months of prep before filming started, but we lost some financing, so that got extended to six months while Darren tried to find money."
Twelve-Hour Ballet Training and Physical Challenges in Black Swan
I have a dance background myself, so I know exactly how hard it is. Ballet requires serious preparation to look authentic, and twelve hours a day is insane — eight hours is already a full athletic schedule.
In my opinion, twelve hours is even over the top, which explains all the bruises Kunis ended up with. It’s a relief she avoided any serious injuries.
Lessons from Black Swan: Dedication and Discipline Behind the Scenes
Reading about Kunis’ preparation made me appreciate Black Swan even more. The dedication, the exhaustion, and the physical strain clearly paid off on screen.
For anyone watching the film, those flawless dance scenes are more than just acting — they’re the result of months of grueling rehearsals, extreme discipline, and sheer perseverance. Truly, it shows how much effort goes into making a performance look effortless.
