Might Natalie Portman be the next former “Star Wars” actor to return to the galaxy far, far away? The Oscar-winning star – who could be a Best Actress contender again in 2024 thanks to her new film “May December” – recently told GQ she’d be “open” to a “Star Wars” return.
“I have no information on this,” Portman said in response to a fan comment in the GQ video. “No one’s ever asked me to return, but I’m open to it.”
Starting in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace,” Portman played Padme Amidala, the Queen of Naboo and a senator in the Galactic Senate. Padme had a lengthy romantic relationship with Anakin Skywalker (played as an adult in “Episode II” and “Episode III” by Hayden Christensen) and was the mother of Luke and Leia. She died shortly after giving birth to the twins due to a broken heart following Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side. (Hey, it’s “Star Wars.”)
Should Portman return to “Star Wars” eventually, she would be in good company. Recently, Christensen, Ewan McGregor, and Jar Jar Binks actor Ahmed Best all came back into the fold for Star Wars television properties. Christensen and McGregor were stars of the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series, while Best played another character (not the infamous Jar Jar) in “The Mandalorian.”
“I don’t know that I could ever fully get my head around how big it was, just because it didn’t really serve my purposes as an actor, and trying to figure out how to play this character,” Christensen recently told Gold Derby about playing Anakin/Darth Vader again in the Disney+ series. “To come back all these years later and do some more with him has just been a phenomenal experience.”
Of course, one thing that might prevent Portman from playing Padme again is the current “Star Wars” timeline. “Obi-Wan Kenobi” took place after the events of “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith,” the last film that featured Padme alive. “The Mandalorian,” meanwhile, as well as the upcoming spinoff show “Ahsoka,” are set after the events of “Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi.” Even “Andor” takes place just before the events of the original “Star Wars” (that one is “Episode IV – A New Hope”), meaning Padme has been dead for some years. A new Disney+ “Star Wars” series called “The Acolyte” is set almost 100 years before “Episode I.” So, confusing! But considering the franchise brought back Emperor Palpatine from the dead to play a main role in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” never say never when it comes to resurrection.
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