<\/p>\n
\u201cBlack Swan\u201d director Darren Aronofsky has admitted that he tried but failed to stir up tension between co-stars Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis to help them get further into their rival characters.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Vogue in honor of the psychological horror\u2019s 15th anniversary, the trio recalled what Aronofsky dubbed a \u201csneaky\u201d ploy to \u201cmake them argue.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cMila and Natalie both realized very quickly what I was doing and made fun of me, so it quickly became a joke that we all understood,\u201d said the Brooklyn-born director<\/a>. \u201cThey\u2019re both very clever and were instantly privy to whatever trick I was playing.\u201d<\/p>\n Portman, who won an Oscar for her role as Nina \u2014 and recommended her long-time pal for the role of Lily \u2014 specifically remembered Aronofsky trying to get under her skin by praising Kunis\u2019 ballet dancing during filming.<\/p>\n \u201cI was like \u2026 \u2018She\u2019s so f\u2013ing talented and I love her so much and I\u2019m happy she\u2019s doing a great job!’\u201d Portman told Vogue.<\/p>\n Aronofsky attempted a similar tactic on Kunis, but her friendship with Portman foiled his plan.<\/p>\n \u201cDarren would tell me, \u2018Nat is working really, really hard. She\u2019s not even taking Saturdays and Sundays off,’\u201d Kunis recalled. \u201cThen I would text Nat and she\u2019d be like, \u2018\u2026No, I\u2019m not?\u2019 I think that\u2019s how we figured out what Darren was up to, but it was all in good fun.\u201d<\/p>\n