Winona Ryder joins Darren Aronofsky's 'Black Swan' as an aging ballerina forced to relinquish the lead in 'Swan Lake' to a younger, hotter up-and-comer: Natalie Portman. Ryder can't miss the irony of that casting call.In the '90s, Ryder scored back-to-back Oscar nominations -- but since being famously eclipsed by then rising star Angelina Jolie in 2000's 'Girl, Interrupted' (which earned Jolie a Best Supporting Actress Oscar), Ryder's career has been on the back burner. (The whole shoplifting thing probably didn't help, either.)
But earlier this summer, she took a much-welcomed step back into the spotlight to play Spock's mom in 'Star Trek.' And perhaps Aronofsky's fifth feature, soon to be begin filming in New York City, will be the boost she needs to re-establish her career. Ditto for Barbara Hershey, who received an Oscar nomination for her role in 'The Portrait of a Lady,' and now joins the cast as Portman's mother.
'Black Swan,' a "supernatural drama set in the world of New York City ballet," has already received attention for a sequence in which its two lead characters, Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, have "ecstasy-induced, hungry, aggressive angry sex." The twist is that lead character Nina (Portman) is not sure if her rival (played by Kunis) is real or imaginary.
Vincent Cassel also joins the cast as the "handsome but sinister Yevna," stage director, Slashfilm.com reports.
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