The Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman captivated audiences with her debut in the 1994 film Léon: The Professional. And her portrayal of Padmé Amidala in the prequel trilogy propelled her to international stardom. The actress has since become one of the industry’s top talents. While her performance in the galactic saga is widely recognized, it isn’t universally lauded as her finest work.
In the prequel trilogy of the Skywalker Saga, Portman’s portrayal of the queen of Naboo garnered mixed reviews, with some critics expressing reservations about her performance. And the actress’ approach to reprising her role in the 2002 film Attack of the Clones could potentially reinforce public perceptions of her performance.
Natalie Portman Revealed Her Approach to Her Star Wars Character
After making her debut as Padmè Amidala in The Phantom Menace, Natalie Portman reprised her role alongside Hayden Christensen in the 2002 film Attack of the Clones, showcasing her character’s significant evolution as she navigates a fateful relationship with Anakin Skywalker.
In an interview, the actress discussed her approach to her character in Episode II, noting minimal preparation beyond reviewing the script before filming her scenes. The Oscar-winning actress emphasized understanding the story and the scene dynamic was sufficient preparation for her.
“I didn’t do much preparation besides reading the script and going over my scenes before I did them, I usually think that knowing the story and understanding what’s happening in a scene is enough preparation.”
Portman shared that she did not want to take it too seriously, as she perceived the epic space saga as a lighthearted film with underlying complexities. “I’m not super-serious about my work. I don’t want to take it too seriously,” she said before adding, “Because I think part of the fun of Star Wars is that it’s got issues within it, but it’s a light film.”
However, unlike Attack of the Clones, when she first embodied the character in the 1999 film Episode I – The Phantom Menace, she did study the themes of the epic space opera and watched the original trilogy which she had not seen at the time.
Natalie Portman Struggled to Land Another Serious Role After Star Wars
After starring in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, Portman was looking forward to more diverse and challenging roles. However, transitioning from George Lucas‘ galactic saga proved difficult for her, as she struggled to secure serious roles afterward.
In an interview with New York Magazine, she revealed that despite starring in one of the highest-grossing franchises, no one wanted to work with her. “I was in the biggest-grossing movie of the decade, and no director wanted to work with me,” she said, explaining that everyone considered her a “horrible actress.”
However, Portman successfully revitalized her career trajectory. She has emerged as one of the leading actresses in the industry, even venturing into blockbuster franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As for Star Wars, the 42-year-old actress has shared that although she has not received an offer, she is open to returning to the franchise.
The Star Wars prequel trilogy is available to stream on Disney+.
