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Natalie Portman

For Natalie Portman to just now be hailed as an actress who is truly turning things on their head, to be considered an actress who’s more than just a pretty face, is kind of surprising. Portman has been working in Hollywood for over 15 years; sure, her most well-known role is that of Queen Amidala in the Star Wars prequels. Enough said about that series the better, but in between those big-budget blockbusters, she’s been doing exemplary work in many other films, including her Oscar-nominated turn in the 2004 drama Closer, her shaved-head role in the underrated V for Vendetta, and even her cameo in The Darjeeling Limited. Portman has been proving for a long time that she’s an actress whose rise is fascinating, but it’s just now, with her starring role in Darren Aronofsky’s psychological ballet drama Black Swan that most critics are sitting up and paying attention.

It’s kind of a shame, but also great news that Portman’s finally meeting her potential in such a high-profile film. Though the movie has garnered split reactions at the Venice and Telluride film festivals in the past two weeks, the general consensus is that, for reasons including her performance and the work that went into making the performance possible, her role as a fragile ballet dancer could end up getting her another Academy Award nomination. Portman’s next two roles are not only decidedly different from one another, but not exactly awards material: she’ll be playing the love interest in Thor and the love interest in Your Highness, the Danny McBride comedy set in medieval times. Even if she’s playing these kinds of roles, I’m hopeful that Natalie Portman, who’s been growing up on screen for years, can continue her dominance as one of the best actresses of her generation.

Mila Kunis

Natalie Portman isn’t the only actor in Black Swan raising eyebrows and turning heads. Her female counterpart in the film is played by the sultry, sexy, and smart Mila Kunis. Formerly of the Fox sitcom That '70s Show (and still - I think - a voice cast member on Family Guy, a show I suppose I’m just never going to get), Kunis has been proving her worth recently in films such as Extract and, most notably, Forgetting Sarah Marshall. That Apatow-produced comedy was, I wager, a bit underrated, partly due to the great performance Kunis gives. Her work is finally being noticed outside of the small screen, and it’s about time. Some of the early reviews for Black Swan have noted some surprise at how good Kunis is, but it’s sad that no one takes the time to realize that, unlike others, she’s been consistently worth watching.

That said, I’m glad she’s working with someone like Darren Aronofsky. As mentioned above, the reviews for the film have noted that Portman’s work is exemplary, and a potential path to getting an Oscar nomination. Kunis may have a rockier road, or she may need to get an Oscar nod with another film from another quality director. Either way, for her to be working with someone as well-liked and respected in the industry as Aronofsky proves that even the most high-class directors are starting to pay attention to this actress, previously of the small screen. If she can make Jason Segel forget about Kristen Bell, she can certainly turn on directors to her acting prowess.

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