Black Swan (2010)
Natalie Portman: Nina Sayers, The Swan Queen
Photos
Quotes
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Thomas Leroy : You could be brilliant, but you're a coward.
Nina : I'm sorry.
Thomas Leroy : [yelling] Now stop saying that! That's exactly what I'm talking about. Stop being so fucking weak!
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Nina : I came to ask for the part.
Thomas Leroy : The truth is when I look at you all I see is the white swan. Yes you're beautiful, fearful, and fragile. Ideal casting. But the black swan? It's a hard fucking job to dance both.
Nina : I can dance the black swan, too.
Thomas Leroy : Really? In four years every time you dance I see you obsessed getting each and every move perfectly right but I never see you lose yourself. Ever! All that discipline for what?
Nina : [whispers] I just want to be perfect.
Thomas Leroy : What?
Nina : I want to be perfect.
Thomas Leroy : [scoffs] Perfection is not just about control. It's also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience. Transcendence! Very few have it in them.
Nina : I think I do have it in me.
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Nina : You put something in my drink.
Lily : Yeah.
Nina : And then you just took off in the morning?
Lily : In the morning?
Nina : Yeah, you slept over.
Lily : [baffled] Um... no. Unless your name is Tom and you got a dick.
Nina : But we...
Lily : But we what, Nina?
[pause]
Lily : Wait... did you have some sort of lezzy wet dream about me?
Nina : [whispers] Stop it.
Lily : Oh my God? Oh my God! You did! You fantasized about me!
Nina : [embarassed] Shut up!
Lily : [gasps] Was I good?
-
Nina : It's about a girl who gets turned into a swan and she needs love to break the spell, but her prince falls for the wrong girl so she kills herself.
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Nina : Beth! I'm so sorry to hear you're leaving the company.
Beth Macintyre : [tearfully] What did you do to get this role? He always said you were such a frigid little girl. What did you do to change his mind? Did you suck his cock?
Nina : Not all of us have to.
Beth Macintyre : [chuckles] You fucking whore! You fucking little whore!
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Nina : It's my turn!
-
[first lines]
Nina Sayers : I had the craziest dream last night. I was dancing the White Swan.
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Thomas Leroy : Are you okay?
Nina : I'm fine.
Thomas Leroy : Nina.
Nina : What?
Thomas Leroy : I've already asked Lily.
Nina : Have you announced it?
[pauses]
Nina : After Beth do you really need another controversy? I'm here, Thomas. I'm doing it.
Thomas Leroy : The only person standing in your way is you. It's time to let her go. Lose yourself.
-
Nina : [on the phone] He picked me, mommy! I'm the new swan queen!
-
Erica : Shh, it's okay. I'm here. You were scratching all night.
Nina : Where's my clock?
Erica : Don't worry about that.
Nina : What time is it?
Erica : Shh.
Nina : My show is tonight.
Erica : No, no, no.
[pushes Nina back on the pillow]
Erica : No, don't worry. I called the theater and I told them you weren't feeling well.
Nina : [jumps out of bed] I have to go!
Erica : No, no lie down!
Nina : Let go of me!
[notices the door handle is missing]
Erica : You're staying in here until you feel better.
Nina : Where is it?
Erica : This role's destroying you.
-
Thomas Leroy : What's going on?
Nina : [crying] Lily! You made her my alternate?
Thomas Leroy : Well there's always an alternate. Lily is the best choice.
Nina : No, but she wants my role.
Thomas Leroy : Every dancer in the world wants your role.
Nina : No, this is different. She's after me. She's trying to replace me!
Thomas Leroy : Nobody's after you.
Nina : [crying harder] No, please believe me!
-
Nina : What happened?
Thomas Leroy : She walked into the street and got hit by a car. And you know what? I'm almost sure she did it on purpose.
Nina : How do you know?
Thomas Leroy : Because everything Beth does comes from within. From some dark impulse. I guess that's what makes her so thrilling to watch. So dangerous. Even perfect at times, but also so damn destructive.
-
Nina : I just want to be perfect.
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Erica : Do you have any idea what time it is?
Nina : [drunk] Uh... late?
Erica : Where have you been?
Nina : To the moon!
Lily : And back.
Erica : You've been drinking.
Nina : Ding ding ding ding!
Erica : What else?
Nina : Huh?
Erica : [raises voice] What else have you been doing?
Nina : Oh, you want to know their names?
[laughs]
Erica : You need to sleep this off.
Nina : No, there were two. There was Tom, there was Jerry.
[laughing]
Erica : [interrupts] Be quiet, Nina!
Nina : And I fucked them both!
Erica : [yells] Shut your mouth!
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Nina : It's called privacy, I'm not 12 anymore!
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Lily : I can't believe he calls her that. It's so gross.
Nina : I think it's sweet.
Lily : Little princess? He probably calls every girl that.
Nina : No way! That's just for Beth.
Lily : I bet he'll be calling you little princess any day now.
Nina : I don't know about that.
Lily : Sure he will. You just got to let him lick your pussy.
-
Andrew : You haven't told me who you are.
Nina : I'm a dancer.
Andrew : No, I meant your name.
Nina : Oh, Nina.
Tom : So are you two sisters?
Nina : No.
Lily : Yes! Blood sisters.
Nina : We dance in the same company.
Tom : Ah, ballerinas. No wonder you two look alike.
Lily : So, you know, Tom and Jerry here are gay lovers.
Andrew : I've never been to the ballet.
Lily : Well then you are definitely not gay.
Tom : I think it's kind of boring though, isn't it?
Nina : No it's not!
Lily : No. You know what? It's just not for everyone.
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Thomas Leroy : I don't want there to be any boundaries between us.
Nina : No, me neither.
Thomas Leroy : So, you got a boyfriend?
Nina : No.
Thomas Leroy : And you've had many in the past?
Nina : A few but no one serious.
Thomas Leroy : You're not a virgin, are you?
Nina : [nervously] No.
Thomas Leroy : So there is nothing to be embarrassed about.
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Nina : It's my turn to be the Black Swan!
-
Nina : What are you doing here?
Lily : I just came by to apologize. You're right, I should have never spoken to him about you.
Erica : [interrupts] Sweetheart.
Nina : Give me a second.
Erica : Your dinner.
Nina : Mom! Please?
Lily : Oh, she's a trip.
[chuckles]
Nina : How do you know where I live?
Lily : I have my ways.
[notices Nina's nervousness]
Lily : Jesus, relax! I got it from Susie in the office. Look, I just feel really shitty about what I did and I just really want to make it up to you, so how about I take you out to dinner?
Nina : I don't think...
Lily : [interrupts] Ok, that's fine! What about drinks?
Erica : Sweetie, you need to rest.
Lily : [chuckles] Jesus!
Nina : Wait.
[goes into the apartment to grab shoes and a coat]
Erica : What are you doing?
Nina : Going out!
-
Nina : Should I go again?
Thomas Leroy : No thanks Nina! I've seen enough.
-
Erica : Has he tried anything with you? He has a reputation. I have a right to be concerned, Nina. You've been staying late so many nights rehearsing. I hope he isn't taking advantage.
Nina : He's not.
Erica : Good. I just don't want you to make the same mistake I did.
Nina : Thanks.
Erica : Not like that. I just mean as far as my career was concerned.
Nina : What career?
Erica : The one I gave up to have you.
Nina : You were 28 and only in.
[stops]
Erica : Only what?
Nina : Nothing.
Erica : What!
Nina : Nothing.
-
Thomas Leroy : And you enjoy making love?
Nina : [surprised] Excuse me?
Thomas Leroy : Oh come on, sex! Do you enjoy it?
[Nina nervously laughs]
Thomas Leroy : Well, we need to be able to talk about this.
-
Thomas Leroy : Can you tell me what the fuck happened?
[yells in French]
Nina : I wasn't my fault. He dropped me!
Thomas Leroy : It's a fucking disaster!
-
Erica : You're working yourself too hard. We all have off days.
Nina : If that girl hadn't barged in.
Erica : I'm sure she didn't mean to. Remember when you first started? If I hadn't taken you to each of your classes you would have been completely lost.
Nina : I'm going to talk to him tomorrow and tell him I finished it.
Erica : You don't need to lie. You won't convince him one way or the other.
[pauses]
Erica : Sweetheart, I know it's disappointing. You start getting older there's all this ridiculous pressure. God knows I understand. But it's alright.
-
Nina Sayers : What's she doing here?
Lily : He made me your alternate.
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Erica : My daughter the swan queen. It's our favorite vanilla with strawberry filling
Nina : Oh mom not too big, oh that's way way too much
Erica : Oh it's our celebration, it's just this once
Nina : Mom, my stomach is still in knots
Erica : Fine, fine. Then it's garbage
Nina : No mom, don't I'm sorry
Erica : I'm just, I'm just so proud of you
Nina : That looks soo yummy
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Lily : Huh rough start, must've been pretty humiliating.
Nina : Get out of my room!
Lily : See, I'm just that I'm worried about the next act. Just not sure if your feeling up to it
Nina : Stop! Please, stop!
Nina Sayers : How about I dance the black swan for you?
Nina : Leave me alone!
Nina Sayers : It's my turn, my turn, my turn, my turn!
Nina : It's my turn.
-
Nina Sayers : You can't smoke in here!
Lily : Well, I won't tell if you won't.
-
Erica : Sounds like quite an evening. Wish I could have been there.
Nina : You know I asked.
Erica : I know you did, Susie told me. I guess he wanted you all to himself.
Nina : That's not why.
Erica : I don't blame him.
[looks at Nina's earrings]
Erica : Where did you get these?
Nina : They're fake.
Erica : Fooled me.
Nina : [reacts to Erica undressing her] I can do it!
Erica : He must have been by your side all night showing you off.
