- "It definitely did come into play how strong and smart a character Carrie Fisher portrayed, because I think that a lot of that is passed on from parent to child. I think George wrote Amidala as a strong, smart character, but it helped to know that I had this great woman before me who had portrayed her character as a fiery woman."
- ―Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman (born Neta-Lee Hershlag[4] on June 9, 1981[1]) portrayed Padmé Amidala in the prequel trilogy. She adopted "Portman" as her stage name in order to protect her family's identity. It is actually her maternal grandmother's maiden name.[5]
Biography[]
![Padme promo](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/f/fe/Padme_promo.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/160?cb=20090521143420)
Natalie Portman as Padmé Amidala
While pursuing her bachelor's degree in psychology at Harvard, Portman appeared in the Star Wars prequel trilogy of movies, which were filmed during her summer break from university. In her interview in the Inside the Actors Studio show, Portman stated that when her agent first told her about the new Star Wars trilogy she didn't know the difference between Star Wars and Star Trek.
Many people think she and Keira Knightley look very much alike, which was the main reason that Keira got the role of Sabé, Queen Amidala's handmaiden and decoy. They looked so much like each other that during the making of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, not even their mothers could tell them apart when they both had make-up on.[6]
During the filming of Star Wars: Episode III The Revenge of the Sith she said the character of Padmé "embodies the true meaning of feminism" since "It's about having access to all the same things but then making decisions from your particular point of view" and despite the fact Padmé was a leader to her people she choose to be compassionate and to serve democracy instead of being consumed by the thirst for power.[7]
In a 2007 interview, she said that although she was pleased with the Star Wars work she had done, she didn't plan to work with the Star Wars universe again.[8] In 2023, however, she expressed openness to returning.[9][10]
Works[]
Filmography[]
Year | Title | Contribution(s) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace | Queen Amidala/Padmé Naberrie[11] | |
2002 | Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones | Padmé Amidala,[12] Cordé[13] | Uncredited as Cordé;[12] portrayed Cordé prior to the explosion[13] |
2005 | Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith | Padmé Amidala[14] |
Bibliography[]
Year | Title | Format | Contribution(s) |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | The Phantom Menace Read-Along Storybook and CD | Young reader | Padmé Amidala |
2017 | Attack of the Clones Read-Along Storybook and CD | Young reader | Padmé Amidala |
2017 | Revenge of the Sith Read-Along Storybook and CD | Young reader | Padmé Amidala |
Sources[]
Natalie Portman on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace Scrapbook
- Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
"All Hail the Queen" — Star Wars Insider 44
"Women of the Force" — Star Wars Insider 47
"Forbidden Love" — Star Wars Insider 60
- Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
Natalie Portman: Forbidden Love on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
Homing Beacon #70 - Padmé Amidala Speaks on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
"Queen Mother of the Galaxy" — Star Wars Insider 82
- Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels
- Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga – The Official Collector's Edition
"Bonnie Piesse: An Aunt for All Ages" — Star Wars Insider 204
Clones at 20 | Costume Designer Trisha Biggar Reflects on Her Most Challenging Film on StarWars.com (backup link)
Clones at 20 | Hayden Christensen Looks Back at His First Steps as Anakin Skywalker on StarWars.com (backup link)
This Week! in Star Wars Dispatch: The Phantom Menace Returns! on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link)
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Celebrates 25 Years with Return to Theaters on StarWars.com (backup link)
Phantom at 25 | Ahmed Best on the Creation and Legacy of Jar Jar Binks on StarWars.com (backup link)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Star Wars Trivial Pursuit
- ↑ Star Wars Year By Year: A Visual History, Updated and Expanded Edition
- ↑
Natalie Portman: Forbidden Love – Wise Beyond Her Years on StarWars.com (content now obsolete; backup link)
- ↑ Dickerson, James L.. Natalie Portman: Queen of Hearts. ECW Press, 2002. ISBN 1-55022-492-1.
- ↑ Natalie Portman: How studying psychology helped her in her latest role by Gill Pringle on The Independent (March 17, 2006) (archived from the original on February 13, 2010)
- ↑
"Women of the Force" — Star Wars Insider 47
- ↑
Lucasfilm (@lucasfilm) on Facebook: Quote from Natalie Portman published during Women's History Month (March 20, 2020): ""I think [Padmé] embodies the true meaning of feminism in my understanding of it," said Natalie Portman during filming of "Revenge of the Sith" in 2003. "It's about having access to all the same things but then making decisions from your particular point of view…[Padmé] has been a leader of many people, but rather than being consumed with the thirst for power...she stays true to her compassion and her belief in democracy and in humanity..."" (backup link)
- ↑ Is Natalie Done With 'Star Wars'? on MTV (November 14, 2007) (archived from the original on November 17, 2007)
- ↑
Natalie Portman Replies to Fans on the Internet | Actually Me on the GQ YouTube channel (May 19, 2023) (backup link)
- ↑
Natalie Portman Is Open to Reprising Her Role in Star Wars on the Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen YouTube channel (December 5, 2023) (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith