If anyone can shock people out of using drugs, it’s probably going to be Darren Aronofsky. His 2000 drama, ‘Requiem for a Dream’ haunts me to this day. In that film he portrayed the horror of heroine and speed addiction, and watched the main characters do horrific things in order to feed their addictions.

Not surprisingly, when agency Organic and production company Wild Plum went looking for a celebrity director to create a series of spots for the Meth Project, Aronofsky was at the top of their list. The Meth Project “aims to reduce first-time meth use with its hard-hitting and graphic portrayals.”

Aronofsky created these four terrifying commercials for the campaign, and they will actually air on TV!

Warning: The commercials are hard to watch! (Especially the one above)

I am so excited about this news! First of all, I love Darren Aronofsky (‘Black Swan’), and everything he does. Second of all, I’d watch Christian Bale read the phone book for two hours – let alone an Aronofsky movie. Heck yeah!

Just how do you float a $130 million movie about the end of the world with no movie stars? If you’re Noah director Darren Aronofsky, you try to attach one, ASAP.

Vulture hears that Aronofsky is in talks with Christian Bale about possibly starring in his take on Noah’s Ark, to help secure studio backing for it. Presumably, Aronofsky wants Bale for the lead, even though Noah was 600 years old when the Great Flood hit, and Bale is only 37.

Regardless, locking down Bale early — even before there’s money to make an offer — would have the twofold benefit of both securing a leading man and helping land the rest of the money needed to make such an expensive, effects-driven film. If Bale commits, that would help provide clarity to the trio of studios considering co-financing the movie: While Noah is set up at the Fox-based mini-studio New Regency, its massive budget means that some other studio will need to come in and help with the heavy lifting. For the trio of studios circling the project, which includes Paramount, Summit, and Fox, knowing Bale is in the wings would help them get a forecast on what Noah might make in foreign territories before they commit to making such a pricey picture.

Former Fox production president turned current Regency president Hutch Parker insisted that “there hasn’t been any change [on the project] since it was last reported.”

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From Entertainment Weekly:

Responding to claims that Black Swan star Natalie Portman didn’t do the majority of her on-screen dancing in her Oscar-winning role, director Darren Aronofsky released the following statement through studio Fox Searchlight:

“Here is the reality. I had my editor count shots. There are 139 dance shots in the film. 111 are Natalie Portman untouched. 28 are her dance double Sarah Lane. If you do the math that’s 75% Natalie Portman. What about duration? The shots that feature the double are wide shots and rarely play for longer than one second. There are two complicated longer dance sequences that we used face replacement. Even so, if we were judging by time over 90% would be Natalie Portman.

And to be clear Natalie did dance on pointe in pointe shoes. If you look at the final shot of the opening prologue, which lasts 85 seconds, and was danced completely by Natalie, she exits the scene on pointe. That is completely her without any digital magic. I am responding to this to put this to rest and to defend my actor. Natalie sweated long and hard to deliver a great physical and emotional performance. And I don’t want anyone to think that’s not her they are watching. It is.”

Last Friday, ballerina Sarah Lane told EW that Portman only danced 5 percent of the full-body shots in the film. She also claimed that one of the film’s producers asked her not to speak publicly about her work during Oscar season. Lane’s comments came after Black Swan choreographer (and Portman fiancé) Benjamin Millepied told the L.A. Times that Natalie did “85 percent” of the dancing in the film. Lane could not be immediately reached for comment regarding Aronofsky’s statement.

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I’m surprised! I had been hearing so much about his excitement to do ‘Wolverine’.

Darren Aronofsky says he is “sad”, but the sequel would have kept him out of the country for too long.

Fox and Hugh Jackman – who is set to return in the title role – said they remain fully committed to making Wolverine and will move aggressively to find a new director.

Fox hadn’t yet greenlit the sequel. A significant portion of the movie will be shot overseas (there had been plans to shoot in Japan).

“As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear that the production of The Wolverine would keep me out of the country for almost a year,” Aronofsky said in a joint statement with Fox.

“I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time. I am sad that I won’t be able to see the project through, as it is a terrific script and I was very much looking forward to working with my friend, Hugh Jackman, again,” he continued.

Stated Fox: “While we are of course disappointed that Darren can’t do The Wolverine, we also understand and respect his reasons. Having done both The Wrestler and Black Swan with Darren, we know he is an extraordinary talent and we look forward to working with him on other projects in the future. Hugh Jackman and Fox both remain fully committed to making The Wolverine. We will regroup and move forward aggressively.”

I’m actually relieved, not gonna lie. I was a bit disappointed to hear he was taking on a “sequel” role. He is too talented to do a ‘Wolverine’ movie – are you kidding me? I want him to stick with original work. How do you go from ‘Black Swan’ to ‘Wolverine’!? Leave those directing roles to other directors – and go make another fantastic movie.

Thanks, Jocelyn.

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Natalie Portman looked beautiful at this weekend’s Palm Springs International Film Festival! Though her fiance skipped the red carpet, he was waiting for her inside – and was the recipient of an emotional tribute when Natalie accepted an achievement award.

Accepting the Desert Palm Achievement Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, the tight-lipped pregnant star couldn’t help gushing about Benjamin Millepied, the dancer/choreographer whom she met while making Black Swan.

As Frenchman Millepied, 33, looked on from the audience, Portman, 29, got teary-eyed as she thanked her fiance who “partnered me in the movie and who now partners me in life.”

About three months along with Millepied’s child, Portman concealed her baby bump with a Vionnet dress and proudly wore her stunning engagement ring — UsMagazine.com revealed the first pics on Friday — as she accepted her trophy.

A source tells the new Us Weekly that “it was seductive to watch” Portman and Millepied (who plays a male ballet dancer in Black Swan) fall in love on the film’s set. “There was no way the attraction could be missed,” the insider adds.

“She likes artsy, smart guys and he’s an artsy, smart guy,” another pal notes of Millepied, one of the youngest choreographers at the prestigious New York City Ballet.

Also pictured: Natalie and director Darren Aronofsky.

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Of course, it looks to be for the sake of their son, four-year-old Henry Chance. The trio went for a walk in the West Village area this afternoon.

Rachel Weisz has begun dating Daniel Craig. The pretty couple (who met on the set of their upcoming thriller ‘Dream House’) spent Christmas together at a $2,000-a-week cottage in England. Just last month the couple denied they were in a relationship. (Could have been because Rachel was in a 9-year relationship with Darren Aronofsky.) Once Rachel publicly ended things with Darren, she stepped out with Daniel, and have been inseparable since.

Daniel arrived in LA this week, where he’s working on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the English-language adaptation of the hit Swedish film and best selling book by Steig Larsson.

Darren Aronofsky and Rachel Weisz have split … TMZ has learned.

Aronofsky — who directed “The Wrestler,” “Requiem for a Dream” and “Pi” — and Weisz — who starred in “The Mummy,” “The Constant Gardner” and “The Fountain” — were together for nine years. They never married.

Reps for the former couple tell TMZ, “Rachel Weisz and Darren Aronofsky have been separated for some months. They remain close friends and are committed to raising their son together in NYC.”

Sources tell us the couple will seek joint custody of their 4-year-old Henry Chance.

And sources tell TMZ Rachel has been linked to “James Bond” star Daniel Craig for months. They worked together on the upcoming flick, “Dream House,” in February and March of 2010.

Interesting!

TMZ