I thought casting on Darren Aronfosky's upcoming film, "Black Swan" was finished.  You had Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis as rival ballet dancers.  Audiences wouldn't mind seeing the two of those women in leotards for two hours so why waste money hiring other actors.  I mean, sure the story might demand other characters but I think that's overkill.  But if more actors have to come on board, you could do far worse than Vincent Cassel, Winona Ryder, and Barbara Hershey who have now joined the cast.  Hit the jump for details.

For those just tuning in, Portman plays ballet dancer Nina who is competing with a rival dancer, Lilly (Kunis) for the role of Odette, the Swan Queen, in the upcoming production of "Swan Lake".  There's only one slight problem: Lilly may just be a figment of Nina's imagination or a supernatural apparition.  Either way, not helpful to Nina.  Also, there's angry, aggressive sex-scene between Nina and Lilly.  I'm required by Internet Law to mention it in every "Black Swan" story although I'm sure, despite the greatness that is Darren Aronofsky, the scene will disappoint us all.

But back to the new additions to the cast, /Film Editor-in-Chief Peter Sciretta reports:

Ryder will play Beth, Nina's "sorta friend" who has been the school's running lead in all the productions, but who is nearing the end of her career. All the dancers are aiming to take her place as Odette, the Swan Queen, in the next big ballet: Swan Lake. Cassel will be playing the "handsome but sinister Yevna," the director of the new stage production. And Hershey will play Nina's mother, a role which was at one point Meryl Streep was rumored to be in talks for (my source says that Streep was never offered the role however).

Sciretta's source also says that the film is close to locking down a distribution deal through Fox Searchlight, who distributed Aronofsky's previous and outstanding film, "The Wrestler".