Mila Kunis Says ‘Black Swan’ Prep Was “A Lot Of Dancing & Very Little Eating” For Six Months

Darren Aronofsky‘s “Black Swan” was a fantastic film that saw star Natalie Portman win the Best Actress Oscar for her stunning performance in the Best Picture nominee. However, the extreme prep for the film, focused on the high-pressure world of ballet, was seemingly just as unpleasant as what the film’s characters undergo in the psychological thriller that is getting a re-release in theaters on August 21-24 in a limited run.

Speaking with Vogue Magazine to celebrate the film’s 15th Anniversary, Mila Kunis, who plays Portman’s professional rival in the movie (Kunis coming in with a ballet background), is getting candid about the harsh prep for “Black Swan” over a lengthy six months that included “very little eating” and a bunch of dancing (12 hours a day) that left her with “bruises.”

READ MORE: 15 Films To See In August: ‘Weapons,’ ‘Highest 2 Lowest,’ ‘Caught Stealing,’ ‘Splitsville’ & More

“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 told Vogue of the extreme things done to keep her weight down for the acclaimed project. “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. It sucked for Darren, but Nat and I were so happy because we had three extra months to dance.”

“We would shoot those dancing scenes for hours, and I had bruises all over my ribs just from being lifted over and over again,” Kunis added.

These comments from Kunis about “Black Swan” may highlight the dark side of acting, as there is habitual pressure on actors by the industry to extremes when it comes to weight loss or gain. Not just for roles of dancers or athletes, as employers having such control over their bodies is very much not a healthy situation for anyone. Matt Damon has been open about how his experiences on “Courage Under Fire” and “The Imposter” led to health problems pertaining to his heart, as the actor had been cautioned by doctors to cut out the extreme dieting and weight gain or risk an early death.

Of course, actresses see their weight and proportions being much more obsessed with by Hollywood than their male peers. Then again, from the male perspective, many men are still pushed into these muscle-bound makeovers by studios that might not always be done in healthy ways and could also contribute to these impossible beauty standards set by Hollywood.

Later this month, on August 29, Aronofsky’s latest pic, “Caught Stealing,” hits theaters.