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The truth is when I look at you all I see is the white swan. Yes you're beautiful, fearful, and fragile. Ideal casting. But the black swan? It's a hard ****ing job to dance both. ~ Thomas Leroy
Nina: I came to ask for the part.
Thomas: The truth is when I look at you all I see is the white swan. Yes you're beautiful, fearful, and fragile. Ideal casting. But the black swan? It's a hard ****ing job to dance both.
Nina: I can dance the black swan, too.
Thomas: Really? In 4 years every time you dance I see you obsessed getting each and every move perfectly right but I never see you lose yourself. Ever! All that discipline for what?
Nina: [whispers] I just want to be perfect.
Thomas: What?
Nina: I want to be perfect.
Thomas: [scoffs] Perfection is not just about control. It's also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience. Transcendence! Very few have it in them.
Nina: I think I do have it in me.
Thomas: The truth is when I look at you all I see is the white swan. Yes you're beautiful, fearful, and fragile. Ideal casting. But the black swan? It's a hard ****ing job to dance both.
Nina: I can dance the black swan, too.
Thomas: Really? In 4 years every time you dance I see you obsessed getting each and every move perfectly right but I never see you lose yourself. Ever! All that discipline for what?
Nina: [whispers] I just want to be perfect.
Thomas: What?
Nina: I want to be perfect.
Thomas: [scoffs] Perfection is not just about control. It's also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience. Transcendence! Very few have it in them.
Nina: I think I do have it in me.
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Erica: [about Thomas] Has he tried anything with you? He has a reputation. I have a right to be concerned, Nina. You've been staying late so many nights rehearsing. I hope he isn't taking advantage.
Nina: He's not.
Erica: Good. I just don't want you to make the same mistake I did.
Nina: Thanks.
Erica: Not like that. I just mean as far as my career was concerned.
Nina: What career?
Erica: The one I gave up to have you.
Nina: You were 28 and only in... [stops herself]
Erica: Only in what?
Nina: Nothing.
Erica: What?
Nina: Nothing.
Nina: He's not.
Erica: Good. I just don't want you to make the same mistake I did.
Nina: Thanks.
Erica: Not like that. I just mean as far as my career was concerned.
Nina: What career?
Erica: The one I gave up to have you.
Nina: You were 28 and only in... [stops herself]
Erica: Only in what?
Nina: Nothing.
Erica: What?
Nina: Nothing.
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Erica: Shh, it's okay. I'm here. You were scratching all night.
Nina: Where's my clock?
Erica: Don't worry about that.
Nina: What time is it?
Erica: Shh.
Nina: My show is tonight.
Erica: No, no, no.
[pushes Nina back on the pillow]
Erica: No, don't worry. I called the theater and I told them you weren't feeling well.
Nina: [jumps out of bed] I have to go!
Erica: No, no, lie down!
Nina: Let go of me!
[notices the door handle is missing]
Erica: You're staying in here until you feel better.
Nina: Where is it?
Erica: This role's destroying you.
[Nina violently pushes Erica aside]
Erica: No! Please! You're not well!
Nina: [yelling] Let go of me!
Erica: You can't handle this!
Nina: I can't? I'm the Swan Queen, you're the one who never left the corps!
Nina: Where's my clock?
Erica: Don't worry about that.
Nina: What time is it?
Erica: Shh.
Nina: My show is tonight.
Erica: No, no, no.
[pushes Nina back on the pillow]
Erica: No, don't worry. I called the theater and I told them you weren't feeling well.
Nina: [jumps out of bed] I have to go!
Erica: No, no, lie down!
Nina: Let go of me!
[notices the door handle is missing]
Erica: You're staying in here until you feel better.
Nina: Where is it?
Erica: This role's destroying you.
[Nina violently pushes Erica aside]
Erica: No! Please! You're not well!
Nina: [yelling] Let go of me!
Erica: You can't handle this!
Nina: I can't? I'm the Swan Queen, you're the one who never left the corps!
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Lily: [about Beth] I can't believe he calls her that. It's so gross.
Nina: I think it's sweet.
Lily: Little princess? He probably calls every girl that.
Nina: No way! That's just for Beth.
Lily: I bet he'll be calling you little princess any day now.
Nina: I don't know about that.
Lily: Sure he will. You just got to let him lick your pussy.
Nina: I think it's sweet.
Lily: Little princess? He probably calls every girl that.
Nina: No way! That's just for Beth.
Lily: I bet he'll be calling you little princess any day now.
Nina: I don't know about that.
Lily: Sure he will. You just got to let him lick your pussy.
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Nina: Beth! I'm so sorry to hear you're leaving the company.
Beth: What did you do to get this role? [about Thomas] He always said you were such a frigid little girl. What did you do to change his mind? Did you suck his ****?
Nina: Not all of us have to.
Beth: [chuckles] You ****ing whore! You're a ****ing little whore!
Beth: What did you do to get this role? [about Thomas] He always said you were such a frigid little girl. What did you do to change his mind? Did you suck his ****?
Nina: Not all of us have to.
Beth: [chuckles] You ****ing whore! You're a ****ing little whore!
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Nina: You put something in my drink.
Lily: Yeah.
Nina: And then you just took off in the morning?
Lily: In the morning?
Nina: Yeah, you slept over.
Lily: Um, no. Unless your name is Tom and you got a dick.
Nina: But we.
Lily: But we what, Nina? [pauses] Wait, did you have some sort of lezzy wet dream about me?
Nina: [whispers] Stop it.
Lily: Oh my God. Oh my God! You did! You fantasized about me!
Nina: Shut up!
Lily: [gasps] Was I good?
Lily: Yeah.
Nina: And then you just took off in the morning?
Lily: In the morning?
Nina: Yeah, you slept over.
Lily: Um, no. Unless your name is Tom and you got a dick.
Nina: But we.
Lily: But we what, Nina? [pauses] Wait, did you have some sort of lezzy wet dream about me?
Nina: [whispers] Stop it.
Lily: Oh my God. Oh my God! You did! You fantasized about me!
Nina: Shut up!
Lily: [gasps] Was I good?
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Thomas: Are you okay?
Nina: I'm fine.
Thomas: Nina.
Nina: What?
Thomas: I've already asked Lily.
Nina: Have you announced it? [pauses] After Beth do you really need another controversy? I'm here, Thomas. I'm doing it.
Thomas: [impressed] The only person standing in your way is you. It's time to let her go. Lose yourself.
Nina: I'm fine.
Thomas: Nina.
Nina: What?
Thomas: I've already asked Lily.
Nina: Have you announced it? [pauses] After Beth do you really need another controversy? I'm here, Thomas. I'm doing it.
Thomas: [impressed] The only person standing in your way is you. It's time to let her go. Lose yourself.
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Thomas: What's going on?
Nina: [crying] Lily! You made her my alternate?
Thomas: Well there's always an alternate. Lily is the best choice.
Nina: No, but she wants my role.
Thomas: Every dancer in the world wants your role.
Nina: No, this is different. She's after me. She's trying to replace me!
Thomas: Nobody's after you.
Nina: [crying harder] No, please believe me!
Nina: [crying] Lily! You made her my alternate?
Thomas: Well there's always an alternate. Lily is the best choice.
Nina: No, but she wants my role.
Thomas: Every dancer in the world wants your role.
Nina: No, this is different. She's after me. She's trying to replace me!
Thomas: Nobody's after you.
Nina: [crying harder] No, please believe me!
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Thomas: You could be brilliant, but you're a coward.
Nina: I'm sorry.
Thomas: [yelling] Now stop saying that! That's exactly what I'm talking about. Stop being so ****ing weak!
Nina: I'm sorry.
Thomas: [yelling] Now stop saying that! That's exactly what I'm talking about. Stop being so ****ing weak!
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[to Nina] Perfection is not just about control. It is also about letting go. Surprise yourself so you can surprise the audience. Transcendence. Very few have it in them.
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[to Nina] That was me seducing you. It needs to be the other way around.
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I felt it. Perfect. It was perfect.