Natalie Portman explains how it was one of her most unique roles to play Padmé Amidala in Star Wars
boy I’m so proud of you in this film thank you and I have a lot of questions on behalf of all of the women in the audience who will watch this film because you kind of car carry the weight of the female world on your shoulders in this do you feel that I think I think it’s important because I think one thing that’s different about this film from all the others is that it has a lot more appeal for women both in the the whole look of the film because it’s very it’s much more aesthetically pleasing I think with all the colors and and the images and and it’s just really beautiful to look at uh visually and also um the fact that the the leader of the people and kind of you know one of the heroes of the film is a young woman is I think really really important to see for people um as a young person is just really really smart and cautious and idealistic and a good person and and she’s very maternal in her relationships and taking care of her people and and I think the feminine qualities that come out in her leadership are really really cool for people to see I have uh my daughters are 9 and 11 and and she is a kind person your character is a good hearted person yes it’s it’s nice to see that you know it’s probably a combination of her her youthfulness and and her femininity that she she doesn’t want to get involved in war and she doesn’t she she really is trying to find a peaceful way out but then she realizes that she’s got to protect her people you know in the end she inevitably has to get involved if she wants to save her people and she eventually has to go among her people and be among them and and work with them to to accomplish their common goal I’m maybe assuming here but but at one point was there man I’m doing a Star Wars film for you there wasn’t ever really that that point for me because it hasn’t really been a huge part of my life until now until I started working on the films I grew up in a household where my dad’s Israeli I I lived in Israel my first three years and my mom’s American and but she’s not you know she’s not a big movie person or anything so it really never entered into our daily life at all and of course I mean it’s part of the culture so I knew the basics of you know May the force be with you you know the the Buns of Princess Leia Yoda things like that that you you never confused it with st Trek or oh I I’m sure I did I I hadn’t you know I was clueless before I I got so involved in it so it was kind of good for me because it didn’t intimidate me at all to be working on this film and and I didn’t really realize the scope of of the fandom until until recently it is probably a little bit life-altering I guess in some sense you know what I like about this film is is a lot of the surge towards it is fan driven yeah it really is fan driven by people who Embrace this wholeheartedly it’s kind of amazing it’s it’s really wonderful and and I think when people have passion and dedication to to any art form it’s it’s really really important for the world because the way the way that they love this movie really adds something to the film and also I’m sure they get a lot out of the film too and and it really I think means a lot to people making films to see when people appreciate them so much it really it it gives us a sort of meaning for our work I would imagine too I’m assuming here also correct me if I’m wrong it’s a different kind of acting sometimes when you’re in such an ornate costume right and you have to kind of hold back I guess emotionally because your character has to right well as as a queen she doesn’t wear her emotions you know on her outside and and it’s it’s a very different kind of role that I’ve ever than any role that I’ve ever played um but it was it was really exciting to do something so different you know visually and and acting wise yeah you get to look at yourself go wow that’s that’s that’s really interesting um I guess all of us have a Little Star Wars fanatic in us about whatever it is have you ever stood in line for anything or have you ever have you ever like is there a band you ever wanted to see or I don’t really remember waiting see I hate to sound you know obnoxious about anything but most of my you know teenage years when you you know develop those kind of fanaticisms I’ve spent you know being a somewhat known actress so if when I’ve been dying to see something I’ve usually been able to you know get tickets through that um and I do have people that I love and and I’ve tried to get in backstage to see people you know to at at plays or or concerts or things like that so I do have I mean I am fan I have a big appreciation for artists and and I know what it’s like to be on the other side of you know fandom yeah nice to see you thank you good see you too thank so much Queenie there you go
Natalie Portman sat down with WFAA to talk about taking on the role of Padmé Amidala in the 1999 film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
Watch more of WFAA’s archived interviews with movie stars here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkCeJSrX8m29svMzEHOvhs-PwCYEEDi7M