Natalie Portman has walked the fine balance between being a commercially successful star and a critically acclaimed actor. Having done a gamut of films in different genres, Portman has proved that she is as comfortable holding the coveted Oscar as she is being the heartthrob of many men with her charm in romantic comedies.
One of the shining moments in the Black Swan actor’s career was her marquee gig in George Lucas’ epic, Star Wars. Between 1999 and 2005, Portman played Padmé Amidala in the blockbuster prequel trilogy that also starred Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, and others. While the films made her a recognizable face with audiences, Portman confessed that she had fears about taking on the role.
Natalie Portman Had This Trepidation About Her Star Wars Role
Natalie Portman’s career was defined by some prominent film choices including her pivotal role as Padmé Amidala in George Lucas’ epic Star Wars prequel trilogy. Playing the charismatic character not only gave the Oscar winner scope to explore the nuances of the role, but also presented her with the opportunity to be part of a pioneering effort in technology and visual expertise as early on as 1999.
While the films still remain significant projects in her repertoire, Portman revealed that she had some doubts about the role while accepting the offer. In an interview with her cast mates during the 25th year of the first film, Portman spoke to Empire Magazine about the reasons behind her trepidations.
“I was worried about doing it, that I wouldn’t be able to do anything else after, because the series carries such a mythology in American life.”
In a sense, Portman’s fear of her career being defined only by this project, isn’t unwarranted. History suggests that many stars are victims of being remembered for only their iconic roles, with Hayden Christensen being an example of this trend. Similarly, it is hard to disassociate Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe from their famous Harry Potter roles despite both young stars having played other impressive characters.
As it turned out, Portman was able conquer these comparisons seamlessly by making smart choices that made audiences relate to every character she played. The Thor actor was eternally grateful to George Lucas and Star Wars for giving her an unforgettable opportunity.
Ashton Kutcher Is Natalie Portman Fan
If Natalie Portman’s talent isn’t proof enough that she is no one-film wonder, her co-stars’ opinion of her left no room for further doubts. In No Strings Attached, Ashton Kutcher and Portman starred as two childhood friends who enter into a ‘friends with benefits’ relationship before one of them starts developing feelings for the other.
The chemistry that the Black Swan star and the Just Married actor shared was a significant reason for the success of the film. But Kutcher confessed that Portman’s abundant talent intimidated him many times on set. Speaking of the effort to keep up and do justice alongside his co-star, Kutcher said to Collider,
“She’s probably one of the best actresses of my generation. I believe she is and there’s a blessing and a curse in that as an actor. Because you know everything you get across from you is going to be real and honest and reactive and beautiful, at the same time when the light shines in the dark room, all the dust shows, and so it was a challenge for me to be as honest as she is.”
Kutcher added that Portman’s ability to seamlessly perform in different genres and make each character her own, made the Marvel star stand apart from the rest of her competitors. With these effusive words of praise from her co-star, the petite V for Vendetta star exemplifies the saying,’ good things come in small packages’.
