Black Swan Page #12

Nina sits backstage, toweling herself off.

She pauses, noticing Leroy and Lily conversing near the

doorway.

Lily nods and touches his arm. He smiles warmly, then notices

Nina watching. His serious demeanor returns and he pulls

away. He says goodbye to Lily.

Lily follows his gaze and smirks at Nina, rubbing it in,

before exiting herself.

74-76B.

77 OMITTED 77

77-78.

78A-B

OMITTED 78A-B

79

OMITTED 79

80

OMITTED 80

A81

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT A81

Nina kneels in front of the toilet, a finger down her throat.

She gags, but nothing comes up.

Her eyes tear up, and she tries again, but still just heaves.

Frustrated, she wipes her mouth and flushes.

81

INT. UPPER WEST SIDE APARTMENT - NIGHT 81

Nina exits the bathroom and approaches her mother’s bedroom

door. It’s closed, but the light’s on underneath.

She’s about to knock, but hesitates. Through the door, she

can hear the sound of her mother watching an INFOMERCIAL on

TV. An unfamiliar, lonely noise.

Nina stands there for a moment, just breathing. She

strengthens her resolve and backs away from the door.

82

INT. NINA’S BEDROOM - NIGHT 82

Nina collapses on her bed.

She opens the JEWELRY BOX sitting on her night stand.

She watches the ballerina spin for a moment...

Then suddenly SLAMS the lid shut and throws the box hard

against the wall.

She shoots out of bed and starts gathering all her childish

possessions--stuffed animals, dolls, keepsakes, etc.

83

INT. APARTMENT CORRIDOR - NIGHT 83

Nina shoves her belongings into the TRASH CHUTE, a pile of

her next victims strewn at her feet.

She grabs a TEDDY BEAR IN A TUTU, and jams him in.

77-78A.

A84 INT. STAGE - DAY A84

Nina dances the Black Swan in front of the nearly completed

scenery.

A few TECHNICIANS complete last minute touch-ups.

Leroy watches from his down-stage post, his focus split

between her and...

Lily, stretching with the other ballerinas. She stares at

Nina with a dark expression.

Fueled by the competition, Nina pushes herself. Her dancing

becomes more impassioned and aggressive.

She finishes the section, breathing deeply, covered in sweat.

The company enthusiastically claps.

She stares intently at Leroy, awaiting his response.

LEROY:

At last, I saw the Black Swan.

B84 INT. COSTUME SHOP - DAY B84

Nina wears the BLACK SWAN COSTUME, facing a mirror. Another

mirror behind her creates an infinite array of reflections.

The overworked COSTUMER checks each seam, pulling the costume

taut, analyzing what needs to be taken in and let out.

Nina looks uncomfortable, disliking the scrutiny of her body.

She hears a sharp RUSTLE. Like someone’s scratching.

She looks up at the mirror. Her reflection stares back.

Behind the first reflection, another Nina has her arm behind

her back, like she’s scratching her shoulder.

Nina leans to get a better look...

COSTUMER:

Sit still, I’m almost done.

Nina startles. The reflection has returned to normal, its

hand back at its side.

Costumer checks one more thing, makes one more note.

COSTUMER (CONT’D)

Okay, all set.

77-78B.

The costumer leaves her to change.

Relieved, Nina quickly takes off the costume and starts to

dress in her sweats.

She hears someone enter the costume shop.

LILY (O.S.)

Hey...Thomas sent me.

Nina pauses, recognizing her voice.

COSTUMER (O.S.)

Yeah, need to get you measured for

your Swan Queen costumes.

Nina steps out from behind the privacy curtain, and finds

Lily waiting.

NINA:

(to costumer)

What’s she doing here?

LILY:

He made me your alternate.

(can’t help it)

Just in case...

Nina pushes past her.

C84 INT. BACKSTAGE HALLWAY - DAY C84

Nina chases after Leroy, in mid-conversation with the STAGE

MANAGER and two STAGEHANDS.

NINA:

Thomas!

He stops and faces her.

NINA (CONT’D)

She’s trying to replace me.

LEROY:

(to stage manager,

stagehands)

Go ahead. I’ll catch up.

They continue walking.

LEROY (CONT’D)

What’s going on?

77-78C.

NINA:

Lily. You made her my alternate.

LEROY:

There’s always an alternate, you

know that. Lily’s the best choice.

NINA:

She wants my role.

LEROY:

Every dancer in the world wants

your role.

NINA:

No, she’s different. She’s after

me. She’s trying to replace me.

LEROY:

(condescending)

Nina...

NINA:

Please believe me.

He studies her for a moment, not sure what to make of this.

LEROY:

Listen, I know it’s been a

struggle. But you had a

breakthrough this morning.

Nina starts to speak, he holds up his hand to silence her.

LEROY (CONT’D)

Tomorrow is yours. Give a great

performance, and you won’t have to

worry about Lily, or anyone else.

NINA:

Thomas-

LEROY:

No more. Go home and rest.

Shut down, she watches him walk away.

84 OMITTED 84

79.

85A INT. PRINCIPAL REHEARSAL SPACE - NIGHT 85A

Nina practices the Black Swan, alone with the jaded piano

player, working herself hard.

He suddenly stops playing.

NINA:

What happened?

PIANO PLAYER:

I gotta life, deary.

He closes the music book and stands.

PIANO PLAYER (CONT’D)

Don’t work too hard. It’s your big

day tomorrow.

Annoyed, she watches him leave.

85B She faces herself in the mirror and takes a breath. 85B

She resumes dancing without music, her feet CLICKING on the

floor.

As she moves, she notices something strange out of the corner

of her eye:

The reflection’s dancing lags a little behind hers.

Nina stops. The sound of her footsteps stops a second later.

She stares at the mirror...troubled.

The door to the room BANGS shut.

She whips towards it and she’s suddenly plunged into

DARKNESS.

Freaked, she stumbles towards the door, and pushes out into

the

80.

86A INT. STAGE - NIGHT 86A

Where it’s equally dark. Lit only by the stage’s “ghost

light,” a single bulb on a stand.

NINA:

Hey! Hey! I’m still in here.

No one answers.

She looks at the cavernous auditorium. All those empty

seats, faced towards her. Very overwhelming...

She hears a noise in the wings.

NINA (CONT’D)

Hey! Turn the lights back on!

She gets to the other side of the stage, but the wings seem

empty. Quiet.

86B Then she hears the faint sound of MUFFLED BANGING. 86B

NINA (CONT’D)

Hello?

No one answers.

She heads towards the noise. The banging now accompanied by a

GIGGLE.

87 INT. WINGS - SAME 87

It’s pretty dark but the sound is unmistakable: two people

going at it.

Nina tiptoes past some off-stage SETS and LIGHTING EQUIPMENT.

And peeks around a piece of SCENERY...

Catching a glimpse of Leroy f***ing Lily further backstage.

She’s wild, clearly enjoying it.

Nina looks away, disgusted. She peeks back one more time.

Leroy has become the demon Rothbart, ravishing the Double.

She meets Nina’s eyes and smiles.

Nina jumps back, knocking into a piece of the set. The

lovemaking pauses at the sound.

Nina flees.

81.

A88

INT. PRINCIPAL DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT A88

Nina runs in and quickly jams her belongings into her bag.

She notices her reflection in the mirror and removes her

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