19 roles that took a toll on the actors who played them

Modified Jan 28, 2025 09:09 ET

Gangs of New York, Image Source - Miramax Films

2) Natalie Portman in Black Swan

Black Swan, Image Source - Fox Searchlight Pictures

Actress Natalie Portman earned an Oscar for her role in the film Black Swan, and rightly so. The movie is a psychological thriller about a ballerina – Nina Sayers, who descends into madness because of the demand for extreme perfectionism. Preparing for the role required Natalie Portman to practice about eight hours a day for ballet, which pushed her physically. She incurred lots of injuries, including dislocated ribs, and she ended up developing paranoia and almost blurred the line between acting and her real life.