Movies - TV
Natalie Portman Thinks Star Wars Fans Missed A Key Part Of Her Performance
By JEREMY SMITH
Natalie Portman was 16 years old when she was cast to play Padmé Amidala, the mother of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa in George Lucas' anticipated “Star Wars” prequel trilogy.
In the prequels, Padmé is often seen as underwritten. However, she becomes more convincing when seen in her regal attire as Queen Amidala, as explained by Portman to Vanity Fair.
Portman added, “I had been to Japan. I went to the Kabuki theater, and when I saw the sort of drawings for Queen Amidala, I was like, ‘Oh my god, that reminds me of the Kabuki!’”
Portman said she tried to “channel that influence because it was such a specific style. The slow kind of movement, and very, kind of, dreamlike [...]”
Portman faced criticism for her portrayal of Padmé, but drawing inspiration from memories of Kabuki theater boosted her confidence, a key element that fans often overlooked.