Natalie Portman, Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequels, has spoken to Radio Times about how she had never seen Star Wars before being cast in the role, although she was aware of the franchise since it was so immersed in American culture.
The 42-year-old actress played Padme Amidala in 1999 prequel ‘The Phantom Menace’ and its 2002 and 2005 sequels, and though she was “aware of the lingo” of the sci-fi world, she hadn’t actually sat through any of the original trilogy.
She admitted to Radio Times magazine: “I didn’t know the films at all before I was cast!
“I was aware of the lingo, as American culture is so immersed in ‘Star Wars’.
“Even if you’ve never seen the movies, you know what Princess Leia buns are, what a lightsaber is, what a Jedi is, you know who Yoda and Obi-Wan are… you know all these words and names before you even see the films.
“But I only saw the films when I was approached to do them.”
Watch Portman in May December, streaming on Netflix now.
Photo: Getty Images by Dia Dipasupil
