Sarah Says, Benjamin Says

Obviously many of you don't understand ballet or the ballet world. That's understandable, because it's fairly esoteric.

First, you burn out quickly, because it is a physically demanding profession where you begin training (and injuring your body) at a young age. If you get accepted to a company (and ABT is prestigious), you work your way up to get solos. That is a distinction in itself, but it is not the height of achievement, far from it. There is "prima ballerina" and "assoluta" etc.

This woman is pointing out that she actually did all this work. IRL She might have danced this role, but more likely she had a solo role. This role is way tougher than the movie lets on. You are dancing TWO ROLES, and you are in the ballet all the time. The black swan is not just the sexy swan. It is a demanding role, physically, because at one point, you do 32 foittes. This is a record of sorts, because when bitches actually land this role, they want to leave their mark and set a standard. You train your whole life for this role.

What is going on here is not someone resenting Natalie Portman's fame. You have someone already distinguished in their career wanting credit for the work they did -- that was dancing -- so their peers will remember their work. Sarah Lane was cast in the movie for two reasons: 1. she looks like Natalie Portman 2. she can actually do the dancing Natalie Portman or anyone else who has not trained for 22 years cannot do. She only got credit for the former, because of Oscar politics, narcissism and greed. The people she works with will recognize this, now that she has addressed the issue, and judge her on her other accomplishments. But I'll bet you she watched the movie, maybe attended the premiere, and was furious her name wasn't even mentioned in the credits.

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She's a soloist - in her world she IS Natalie Portman.

Submitted by sonah22 : As someone who has a tiny bit of experience (beginner here) in ballet, I can say that it is hard, hard work, but this double needs to learn a lesson in PR. You don't attack by bringing the person down, you attack by making passive-aggressive "positive" statements
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*Signs up for sonah22's classes*

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"You're ugly and your fucking bag is ugly too."--John Galliano (allegedly)

Damn Fux Searchlight had the FX video of NP's head pasted over the real dancer's body removed. Anyone know where it can be found elswhere?

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"You're ugly and your fucking bag is ugly too."--John Galliano (allegedly)

Fox Searchlight's comments on this brouhaha: "We were fortunate to have Sarah there to cover the more complicated dance sequences and we have nothing but praise for the hard work she did. However, Natalie herself did most of the dancing featured in the final film." "We stand by Natalie’s performance, hard work and dedication to the role."

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/03/26/natalie-portman%E2%80%99s-blac...

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"I’m against this sort of thing."

The Saturday night live parody for this movie was better that the actual movie itself. Jim Carey should have gotten an Oscar.lol

___________________

"The world is a pretty nice place if you're happy"

John Garfield
No one lives forever

I got kicked out of ballet school when I was 9 for calling my teacher gay. And I blame it all on my brother because he taught me the damn word.

________________

"The world is a pretty nice place if you're happy"

John Garfield
No one lives forever

This argument has been raging for two days.
Is Natalie Portman the new LeAnn Rimes of Dlisted?

Fucking Hollywood ego's strike again! Don't give the peasants/underlings their dues. Make everyone believe the 'star' is a fucking genius because well they are a star. They are beautiful and rich and a star. Did I mention that they are 'stars'!

Fuck you Hollyweird!

Hey Sarah guess what? I do my boss's taxes for all seven of his LLC’s. I know his account numbers, his VIN’s, the social security of his great-uncle. I sit through meetings with people that hate the shit out of him, I get grilled several times a day by bill collectors and angry coked up lawyers, (I went to school for this, I literally paid-- time and money for this), and sometimes he'll even rub at his satiated hairy tummy as he giggles and asks for HALF of my salad because he "forgot" to order when the girl at the front desk paged it on the intercom. AND GUESS WHAT? HE's the one who has GOOD credit. HE walks into any place like the next fucking Messiah. Every bank in town wants to loan HIM money. HE's the one getting invited every other weekend to the Hamptons, and getting sushi served over naked underaged Asians. Sure, I could sob and complain but God knows I NEED that piece of shit paycheck next Friday. It's called the underdogs, or in this case, the undercunts. Life's quite shit, isn’t it?
And for the record, I think Natalie is a big gloating fucking cunt, too.

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scaramouche, scaramouche, will you do the fandango?

Submitted by KA on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 11:45pm.
I respect Sarah Lane for being a principle dancer for ABT. Natalie Portman carried on about the sacrifices,intense ballet training,and deprivation she endured to inhabit her role in "Black Swan". One of the other Dlisters posted an excerpt from one of her pre-award season interviews in which she said that a professional dancer was there "for the turns." Now, keep in mind that the role of Odette/Odile in Swan Lake IS ALL ABOUT THE FOUETTEES AND PIROUETTES. (For the First Shade in La Bayadere, it's all about the extension;for Giselle,the dancer must be an amazing actress, go completely insane,then drop dead gracefully.) Portman admitted that the vital work was done by someone else. Everyone behind her award campaigns emphasized her intense ballet training and dedication. IMHO,it was implied that Portman danced well.Then her sweetie gave an interview stating that she did 85% of the dancing. Only then did Sarah Lane speak out.
She went Aretha Franklin on that overrated twit and had a right to do so.
Consider this: ballet students and professional dancers say that it is easier to teach a dancer to act than it is to teach an actor to dance. They're right.

You gave me permission to keep bitching and stamping my twinkle-toed foot.

IT'S A FUCKING MOVIE!!! GD ballerinas AND actors will ALWAYS be fucking drama queens. PERIOD! Sorry ms. double didn't get ALL the credit she deserved but did she really think she would LOL come on it's Hollywood. I hate fucking greedy people (all Hollywood), PERIOD!

Submitted by _fail_ on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 11:57pm.
Look, I'm telling you - Beals did all the dancing!

hahaha. That was a fluffy movie but fun. I always liked the restaurant scene where J-Beals stuffs her lover's ex. (I guess the steel mill couldn't afford an HR department.)

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"I’m against this sort of thing."

Submitted by RustyHooligan on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 11:37pm.

Submitted by angel_i on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 11:32pm.

Yeah! Haven't posters been discussing both of them since this thread started yesterday? I found one random tidbit this morning: the Flashdance dancer had her one speaking line in Streets of Fire, where she played--ready?--a club dancer.
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O she's an actress too! How nice! ;p

Honestly tho...I don't think it's about remembering her name. I think Sarah's just having a diva moment. She's a soloist - in her world she IS Natalie Portman. And she worked hard for that. I think it was more the suggestion that she keep quiet about her work...and that this trick would come along and behave as tho Sarah was a just-in-case stand-in.

♥ Threadkilla!
Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right.
~Arthur Schopenhauer

Look, I'm telling you - Beals did all the dancing!

So many awesome comments, I don't know where to start. Just carry on, please...I'm still reading. :)

Submitted by angel_i on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 11:32pm.

Yeah! Haven't posters been discussing both of them since this thread started yesterday? I found one random tidbit this morning: the Flashdance dancer had her one speaking line in Streets of Fire, where she played--ready?--a club dancer.

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"I’m against this sort of thing."

Submitted by 1womanarmy on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 7:50pm.

Anyone remember the names of Jennifer Beall's body double in Flashdance? How about Kevin Bacon's body double in Footloose?

I didn't think so.
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LOL! But people DID know.

♥ Threadkilla!
Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right.
~Arthur Schopenhauer

If this takes the shine off her Oscar then BRAVO!

Submitted by wool on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 8:09pm.

Thanks for the kind kudos but I didn't know--I just looked it up. If Lane had been the ex it all would have been clear, right?

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"I’m against this sort of thing."

Submitted by 1womanarmy on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 7:50pm.
Anyone remember the names of Jennifer Beall's body double in Flashdance? How about Kevin Bacon's body double in Footloose?

_______________________________

Peter Tramm

This woman has a point about creating a false impression of the ease with which her ability can be gained, but... she can't be for real. If she really felt that it was about this false impression that was created she wouldn't have participated in the first place.

It's more likely that the excitement has faded and she spent her check and now she wants recognition. I understand this but she's going about it all wrong.
http://burning-plastic.tumblr.com/

@Tripitaka no, if I remember correctly the woman Millepied left for Portman was called Isabell(a?) Something

I think the main problem with the Black Swan situation isn't that they used doubles...it's that the studio/makers/people involved claimed (or at least heavily implied) that Natalie Portman actually became a proper ballerina.
If stuntpeople are used actors don't usually insist that they did all of the stunts themselves etc
so I can def. see why this lady would be pissed off

PS: ok, @RustyHooligan answered the question about Millepied's ex a lot better and more informed than I did *kudos*

Submitted by Tripitaka on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 7:22pm.

Is this the girl that the baby daddy left for Natalie?

That was Isabella Boylston (says the Net). Here's her pic: http://crushable.com/entertainment/natalie-portman-break-up-her-black-sw.... She's also an ABT dancer. I'd love to ask her what she thinks of NP in Black Swan.

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"I’m against this sort of thing."

I JUST remembered it!

Marine Jahan!

That was teh double! Yes, I am Rain Man when it comes to shit like this.

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Nothing from nothing leaves nothing
You gotta have something, if you want to be with me
-Billy Preston

Anyone remember the names of Jennifer Beall's body double in Flashdance? How about Kevin Bacon's body double in Footloose?

I didn't think so.

People go to these movies to see Natalie Portman, Jennifer Beall and Kevin Bacon, not some no-name dancer.

If we want to see professional dancers, we'll go to the ballet, not the movies.

Is this the girl that the baby daddy left for Natalie? If so that kinda adds a reason for her to out her non-dancing.

Unfortunately for Sarah, Hollywood is all about lying, cheating, unoriginality, phoniness and taking credit for others work. So it's no big surprise that Natalie didn't give proper credit where it was due or was happy to let the viewing public believe she did all the dancing in the movie in order to parlay her overacted, overrated performance into an Oscar win.

While I think she sabotaged her own career, I can't blame her for being pissed. We heard NOTHING about Portman having a double. All I heard was about how hard it was to train for the role.

I'm not particularly interested in Black Swan (to me it was alright, but not as mind blowing as some people seem to think it is) and I never for a second believed Portman did as much dancing as the whole promotional/pre-oscar campaign suggested...nor do I care or know anything about ballet, BUT: anyone prepared to call out Hollywood on their bullshitting has my respect

Seriously folks, Miss Lane is much MORE than a "stunt double" or a "body double." She's an artist in her own right that trained most of her life for her craft.....Natalie is just a Hollywood starlet who's performance came across better than it was (thanks to the director and a REAL dancer,) so they could use her to promote the film to dummies.

Meaning people with a brain might have appreciated the film for what it was, the direction, the dancing for it's beauty and Natalie's mediocre performance, but imbecile's that go to see a movie based on "celebrity" had to be convinced Miss Portman has more talent than she actually does and magically became an artist. And yes, it's demeaning to the actual professional and art form.

LOL! You win the cookie!! Congratulations!! I didn't think anybody but me would remember that movie.

You win a Better Off Dead trailer spoof!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eipq4zAVRGI

AND as a bonus, a real crazy bitch demanding two dollars!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FMsNLt1azk&feature=related

Submitted by WWJDFAKB on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 9:18am.

Better Off Dead haha!..now gimmie my digital cookie!

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I AM on a drug. It's called Charlie Sheen. -- Carlos Estevez

@trustalways: Thanks for the link! That was amazing!

As someone who has a tiny bit of experience (beginner here) in ballet, I can say that it is hard, hard work, but this double needs to learn a lesson in PR. You don't attack by bringing the person down, you attack by making passive-aggressive "positive" statements, like, 'oh, I'm Sarah, the dancer from Black Swan, and I'm available for interview. I was honored to dance in place of natalie during the foettes, the footwork, the spins and all, and she did a great job with the arms and the acting, while Millipied was great to be coreographed by, and Natalie was cooperative when I had to step in, and look! I'm in the costume.'--THAT is how you get positive publicity after being ignored, and at the end of it you add, 'Natalie didnt thank me onstage, but she had been gracious throughout the performance.' BAM.

Poor thing, this could back fire on her in HWood, but I"m sure ballet dancers/companies agree that her not getting credit is atrocious, not because body doubles sign up for full credit, but because of the way Portman's ppl. parlayed the role to make her someone who danced more than anyone. She did do a good job in some parts of the acting, but as someone woh is learning ballet, she didn't pass as that much of a dancer, but that's okay, because the story was great, and the discipline it showed showed how much respect dancers deserve for what they deal with.

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"on the bright side, she can use her tit skin as a belt."

Submitted by jack-n-the-hat on Fri, 03/11/2011 - 12:24pm.

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Stunt doubles are duly credited. Sarah Lane was not, to the point of collusion by the top brass in the film to make it appear that Ms. Portman contributed more to the film than she did. No one believes for a second that NP dance this movie (except delusional teenagers). The clear issue is credit and the ensuing hyperbole and lies by omission. Why is this difficult to parse out?

"I do give her a lot of credit because in a year and a half she lost a lot of weight..."
Nice compliment Bitch, welcome to the dlisted party, sit down the table from Joan Collins.

If the producer/director had simply listed her as the dance double, and stated in interviews WHEN ASKED about the truth behind the dancing, none of this would have turned into a debacle. The only reason Sarah Lane is vocalizing the truth is because of the blatant misrepresentation of her and NP's contribution to the film. She's a professional who got paid for a job, and she should be credited for that. Barring screen credit, interviewees for the film should be clear and honest about the work each woman did in the film. As it is, it makes the film producer, Mr. Aronofsky, Ms. Portman, and Mr. Millepied look immature, unprofessional, and dishonest.

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Submitted by WTFOMGLOL on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 2:08pm.

Submitted by ewe on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 9:13am.

Bitch, instead of complaining you should be praising the heavens for Nat's lack of talent cos otherwise you wouldn't have gotten the job. Now sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up. You didn't cure cancer, you danced in a movie. Honestly...
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This kind of reminds me of the Seinfeld, where George's girlfriend handed Elaine the 'BIG SALAD'
that George actually paid for, and Elaine thanked the gf instead of thanking George ..you wouldn't think it's a big deal ... but ...

it just ate away at George relentlessly that the girlfriend got credit for something he had done, so he finally had to SAY SOMETHING, and get his props back.

Same with the Everybody Loves Raymond where Ray gave the To Kill a Mockingbird to Debra for Xmas, at Robert's suggestion, and Robert fumed about the extravagant praise Ray got for it, until he exploded that it was HIS IDEA !

That's what I'm seeing here..

Srsly? So, in other words, the person lying and stealing the credit is OK to go on lying and stealing credit, and the person doing the actual work standing up for herself and her profession will be "punished." I doubt she'll get an offer to double in a film again, or at least by producers/directors out to make their stars seem larger than life, but those who value artists would work with her. As far as ballet, that depends on her reputation in her field. If she's a person of known integrity, talent, and works well with the corps, then there's no reason she will be out of work. If she has other personality issues, THAT will keep her from getting future work, irrespective of this Black Swan debacle. Attitudes like yours are what keep the Peter Principle alive and well (mediocrity rises to the top).

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Submitted by CokeyBloke on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 10:18am.

BUT, a professional wouldn't open her damn mouth. Not going to help her (Sarah's) career.

It is unpossible to suddenly be a ballet dancer. It takes a lifetime of training to get your feet that messed up. My vote goes to Ms. Lane.

Nail me to my car... then I'll tell you who you are...Joe The Lion

Submitted by ewe on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 9:13am.

Bitch, instead of complaining you should be praising the heavens for Nat's lack of talent cos otherwise you wouldn't have gotten the job. Now sit the fuck down and shut the fuck up. You didn't cure cancer, you danced in a movie. Honestly...
============================================

This kind of reminds me of the Seinfeld, where George's girlfriend handed Elaine the 'BIG SALAD'
that George actually paid for, and Elaine thanked the gf instead of thanking George ..you wouldn't think it's a big deal ... but ...

it just ate away at George relentlessly that the girlfriend got credit for something he had done, so he finally had to SAY SOMETHING, and get his props back.

Same with the Everybody Loves Raymond where Ray gave the To Kill a Mockingbird to Debra for Xmas, at Robert's suggestion, and Robert fumed about the extravagant praise Ray got for it, until he exploded that it was HIS IDEA !

That's what I'm seeing here..

The difference is, the dancer is not just a "stunt double", she's devoted her life to an art form and Natalie actually gained more credit for her mediocre acting, by stealing credit for a real artist's work, garnering herself an Oscar. Natalie's a puppet and a fraud.

Submitted by HeddaHopper on Fri, 03/25/2011 - 9:20pm.

This ballet chick, the body double, seems like a little bitch. She was well-paid to play her role as a double. Now, after all this time she's bitching in public? Her excuse is that theywere "asked" not to say anything before? I call Bu!!sh!t.

The DVD comes out Tuesday and she is trying to sabotage it. Dumb. Do people really think Angelina Jolie really jumps on moving trucks, or that Matt Damon leaped 30 stories into the East River? They are called doubles for a reason.

The girl's right, to try to pass an emaciated, stiff little clod off as a professional dancer is demeaning to the profession. But that's the problem, no arts education in America, so you can stick any skinny bitch in front of the public and pass her off as a dancer. Hollywood basically demeans most of the arts and turns everything in to a cheezy product. I'm so sick of them calling bad actors "artists" and auto-tune singers that look like their doing a cheerleading routine "artists." If the movie was good, it was no doubt due to the director anyway, not the freakin' mediocre actress.

Hollywood cheapens even the best in the arts and reduces everything to the same thing the porn industry sells....sex. What else does Natalie have to offer, really?

Portman was the weakest female in that film (actresses and dancers included). She's highly over rated and this is just another excuse for her rich-man's KFed to talk to the media about something.

Here is truly beautiful dancing, if you need some brainbleach after watching Natalie Portman's 5% contribution to Black Swan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmeDILoBdAo

Submitted by Manimal5 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 11:34am.
So maybe this is the 5% part...it sucks anyways!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsvtIzebNcw&playnext=1&list=PLFB8B259F1FA...
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Ha! She didn't even use her own EYES.

♥ Threadkilla!
Every nation ridicules other nations, and all are right.
~Arthur Schopenhauer

This is like when an actress has musical numbers dubbed, and that person gets credit for singing the songs. The woman who sang the diva's aria in The Fifth Element has a career based on people's familiarity with her role in that film. People asked who sang Lucia Di Lammermoor, because even if Luc Besson's first wife trained for a year, no one could just pick up that part. But Natalie Portman and her babydaddy Minipeen tried carrying off that bullshit. An ABT soloist is not a stunt double.

Last night I decided that instead of hiring Sarah Lane, the director of "Black Swan" should have hired ANY of the troupe Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo as Natalie's dance double. Since they are all men (and incredible dancers) we would have had no trouble knowing Natalie wasn't doing her own dancing. The movie would still have worked, hairy legs and all.

"Seymour!! You said you'd never get married until you bought me an iron lung!"

Natalie Portman didn't even have to do that much acting it seems. She played a crazy bitch unable to move past her own childhood in order to take on a really demanding role. She is always some crazy bitch who needs to grow up, from Garden State to Closer. Whenever she had to play an adult role, she was still a child, from The Professional to Star Wars: Revenge of the Clones. Seriously, is she even a good actress? I thought Black Swan was some weak shit, more The Red Shoe Diaries than the Red Shoes, basically Showgirls plays Lincoln Center. Everyone heard nonstop how she studied dance as a child and trained for the role. It's not like she just let it slip once or didn't correct someone. She lied to anyone who would listen. She didn't do her own dancing, and it was cunty to say otherwise. Getting knocked up by a guy who calls himself Centipede was a career decision from her to get sympathy votes from the Academy, half of whom wanted to diddle her when she was 12 and played a Lolita.

Submitted by Manimal5 on Sat, 03/26/2011 - 11:34am.
So maybe this is the 5% part...it sucks anyways!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsvtIzebNcw&playnext=1&list=PLFB8B259F1FA...

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Wow, she is super stiff there. Imagine what she's like in bed.

EW.com says Lane was also credited as "hand model" and "stunt double," but IMDb didn't have any such credits (or I didn't see them).

"I do have a double for the complicated turning stuff," Portman told EW last November. "It was not anything I ever could have done in a year, nothing I could’ve caught up with. But I think it was just better for all of us if I did as much as possible."

http://insidemovies.ew.com/2011/03/25/portman-black-swan-double/