Neta-Lee Hershlag, known professionally as Natalie Portman (born June 9, 1981), played Padmé Amidala in the prequel trilogy. For her performance in the 2010 movie Black Swan, Portman received an Academy Award. She also garnered nominations for her roles in the 2004 film Closer and the 2016 film Jackie.
Born in Jerusalem, Israel, in 1981, Natalie Portman used "Portman," her maternal grandmother's surname, as her stage name to safeguard her family's privacy. She gained recognition for her roles in the 1994 film Léon: The Professional and a Broadway production of The Diary of Anne Frank. Director George Lucas selected Portman to portray Queen Padmé Amidala in the prequel trilogy. Starting in 1997, Portman took on this role for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, which debuted in 1999, when she was eighteen.
The resemblance between Keira Knightley and Natalie Portman was a factor in Knightley's casting as Sabé, Queen Amidala's handmaiden; during the production of The Phantom Menace, even their own mothers had difficulty distinguishing them when they were both in makeup. While pursuing her bachelor's degree in psychology at Harvard University, Portman spent her summer breaks filming for Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, which was released in 2002. She commenced filming Star Wars: Episode III The Revenge of the Sith in 2003. At that time, she stated that her character, Padmé Amidala, "embodies the true meaning of feminism" because "it's about having access to all the same things but then making decisions from your particular point of view," and despite Padmé's leadership role, she chose compassion and valued democracy over the pursuit of power. However, in a 2007 interview, she mentioned being content with her Star Wars experience but having no intentions of revisiting that universe. Nevertheless, in 2023, she indicated a willingness to return.
- 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)
- 25 Things You Probably Didn't Know About the Making of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace on StarWars.com (backup link)