Natalie Portman Wants to Return to Star Wars as a Jedi

Natalie Portman has a dream: to return to the Star Wars universe as a Jedi. The Oscar-winning actress became famous for playing Padmé Amidala, the young queen of Naboo, in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace when she was just 16 years old.

During a recent appearance on The One Show on Tuesday, 6 May, Portman shared her thoughts about possibly bringing Padmé back.

Hosts Alex Jones and Clara Amfo asked her if she ever imagined reviving her Star Wars character and how she would like to see Padmé return.

Portman replied with enthusiasm, saying: “With a lightsaber. I think she’d have to be a Jedi. If somehow she were brought back from the dead. That would be exciting.”

The question came up while Portman was promoting her new adventure film Fountain of Youth, directed by Guy Ritchie. However, when asked about Star Wars, she was quick to share her dream of wielding a lightsaber as Padmé.

Talking more about her new movie, Portman revealed why she enjoyed making it. She shared that her own childhood was calm and quiet, unlike the adventurous spirit of the film. She said: “I have the opposite thing of like, I had no adventure growing up. We were going to the library. I never did all of these sports and vacations and things that people did, we were like, ‘Let’s go to the local museum. Let’s stay home and read a book.’ I had no fear-based growing up that I had to veer from.”

Portman explained that she loves playing adventurous characters now because her own upbringing was so peaceful and calm.

The One Show hosts made Portman blush when they asked the other guests to name their favorite Natalie Portman movies. Comedian Romesh Ranganathan praised her work in the Thor movies, saying:

“I loved your work in the Thor movies. I thought it was exceptional. I’m a big fan. This is the thing, is those films that, you know, on the face of it are comic book movies, but I thought you brought a depth to your character. I thought the work you did in it was like, it elevated the film, so thank you very much.”

Actor and comedian Tom Davis picked Black Swan, calling it “a beautiful movie, an incredible piece of work.” Doctor Who star Millie Gibson also mentioned Black Swan as her favorite but added, “I love Leon: The Professional, that’s my favourite.”

Portman looked a bit embarrassed by the praise and said,
“Thank you. This is very embarrassing. Live reviews! I appreciate that, thank you.”

The jokes continued when Ranganathan asked Portman what her favorite thing he had done was. After a brief pause, she replied with a smile,
“The podcast, the podcast, it’s great!”

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