Did Mila Kunis Learn Ballet for Black Swan?

Ballet

Mila Kunis is best known for her roles in Hollywood films such as That ’70s Show, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Ted. However, it was her role as Lily in the psychological thriller Black Swan that earned her critical acclaim.

The film follows Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) as she prepares for a prima-ballerina role in the ballet Swan Lake. Kunis plays Nina’s rival, Lily, a dancer who is determined to take the lead role away from Nina.

Kunis had to learn a great deal about ballet for the role, including ballet technique and terminology. She trained for four months with renowned choreographer Benjamin Millepied who was also Portman’s personal coach and danced alongside her in many of the scenes.

Kunis has said that she felt overwhelmed at first because she had never taken formal dance classes before and felt like an outsider trying to learn what was second nature to the other dancers. She admits that it was an intense learning curve but was determined to commit herself fully to the part.

Conclusion:

Mila Kunis certainly rose to the challenge of learning ballet for her part in Black Swan. With four months of intensive training and coaching, she managed to develop enough skill and knowledge of ballet technique and terminology to convincingly portray a rival dancer in one of Hollywood’s most beloved psychological thrillers.