Natalie Portman is a wonderful actress who found acclaim early on when she starred as Queen Amidala in the original Star Wars trilogy. She was just 14 years old then and became a household name thanks to her magnificent portrayal. Although the young star was already pretty famous back then, it was her role in the trilogy that propelled her to global stardom.
However, when she was offered the role, the Marvel star had no idea about the franchise and didn’t get much hype around it at all. And hence was very apprehensive to sign the contract.
What Natalie Portman Does Not Want Star Wars Fans To Know
Natalie Portman was a fairly new actress when she starred in the Star Wars trilogy back in 1999. The actress had already proven herself in movies like Léon: The Professional and hence was offered to play the role of Queen Amidala at the age of 14. Even though the role brought her immense success and global stardom, the actress later accepted in a Press Interview with ScreenSlam for The Phantom Menace, that it wasn’t a role she actively pursued.
“I definitely didn’t actively pursue this role at all. But I just met with the casting director, like on any other film. … I met George and talked to him, and then I got the part.”
And it was only after she got the part did she realize how big of a franchise it was, for she had no idea about Star Wars, before that.
“I hadn’t seen the films until it was offered to me so I really wasn’t aware of what Star Wars was at all.”
Despite the initial ignorance of the fandom, Natalie Portman believed that the movies were amazing, and had the potential to change cinema and the overall art of storytelling.
Natalie Portman Was Hesitant To Sign Up For Her Most Iconic Role
When it comes to franchises and playing characters like Queen Amidala, actors typically have to sign contracts involving multiple movies or for a significant number of years. Since the Marvel star was only a teenager when she was offered the role, Natalie Portman was very hesitant to sign up for the role.
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actress had stated,
“I was very excited about it, at the prospect of doing this film when they first offered it to me. But I sat down for a while and thought about it. It took me a few weeks to decide about doing this film, because it’s a huge commitment to sign on for three films when you’re 14, which really means you’re giving up 10 years of your life and dedicating it to acting, and that’s a hard decision to make when you’re that young.”
Fortunately, after much thought and deliberation, she decided to sign up for one of her most iconic roles, opening up doors of opportunities and collaboration for the young star.
Natalie Portman’s starrer Star Wars trilogy can be streamed on Disney+.
