Warning: This post contains spoilers for May December

Summary

• Both Natalie Portman's characters in "May December" and "Black Swan" exhibit obsessive traits, becoming unfeeling and detached in pursuit of perfection in their craft.
• Elizabeth's dedication to her role in "May December" leads her to engage in unsettling actions, including attempting sexual chemistry with a 13-year-old for authenticity.
• Nina in "Black Swan" goes to extreme lengths, such as self-inflicting a stab wound, to achieve perfection in her ballet performance, regardless of the personal cost.

Natalie Portman has had a long and storied career, but only two of her films have been similar in their dark endings. May December sees Portman playing an actress, Elizabeth, who travels to meet the real-life woman she’s portraying (Julianne Moore) in a movie. Elizabeth may seem like her intentions are good ones, but her arc takes a dark turn that alters the way viewers see her and what it is she is trying to do. To be sure, the actress has done her fair share of dramatic roles, but rarely have they complemented each other in the way Todd Haynes’ May December does with Portman’s biggest horror hit.

Black Swan more than any of her works have in the past.

May December Is The Darkest Ending For A Natalie Portman Character Since Black Swan

May December deals with some pretty dark themes, and its ending certainly purports Elizabeth as a scheming manipulator. She’s someone who will do whatever it takes to get what she wants, and it’s exactly this that likens the character’s ending in May December to that of Portman’s character in Black Swan, the psychological horror film from 2010. In Black Swan, Portman’s Nina stabs herself, having fully transformed into the swan she embodies in the ballet. Similarly, Nina goes to great lengths to ensure a perfect performance, and Black Swan’s ending echoes May December’s so eerily in that sense.

It’s not that the films have a similar plot, but their respective endings are haunting and disconcerting in their execution. They stand apart, but complement each other really well, especially in of Portman’s characters, their actions, and where they end up thanks to the paths they took to get there. May December’s ending shows what Elizabeth is willing to do for her role, no matter who she hurts. The film itself is about what someone is willing to do to make art, and the final moments, of Elizabeth attempting to seduce a 13-year-old, and Black Swan’s final shot showcase the darkness Portman’s characters tap into to get there.

Natalie Portman's May December & Black Swan Characters Share Shocking Similarities

Both of Natalie Portman’s characters have obsessive traits. Nina and Elizabeth are transfixed by their roles, and they seek perfection within their craft. This obsession causes them both to become unfeeling and detached, so absorbed in getting their performances right that they ignore all else. Elizabeth’s dedication to portraying Gracie onscreen leads her towards method acting. As she seeks to perfect the seduction scene at the end of May December, her method acting pushes her to attempt sexual chemistry with a 13-year-old — that’s how much she wants to get the role of Gracie right. She wants it to look and feel real, even as her actions become unsettling to watch.

Meanwhile, Nina’s obsession with perfecting her ballet performance sees her bleeding out from a self-inflicted stab wound. Like May December’s Elizabeth, Nina essentially went full method to perfect her performance, no matter the personal cost. Despite the physical pain and consequences, Nina believed her actions in Black Swan were essential to achieving the perfection she sought in the ballet role. In both respects, the actress’ characters transform into something else entirely to achieve something almost otherworldly. They want more, and so they throw themselves into their work to get there, even if it means going past the point of no return.