The three actors who inspired Natalie Portman’s role in ‘Star Wars’
Natalie Portman has played so many iconic roles throughout her career. From the early days of Mathilda in Léon: The Professional through to Nina Sayers in Black Swan, Portman will go down in history as one of the finest actors of our time. But none of her roles are quite as defining as Padmé in Star Wars.
While still in high school, Portman joined the Star Wars cast in 1997. As part of George Lucas’ prequel trilogy, the films tell the previously untold origin stories of the original characters.
While the original movies of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi introduce the futuristic world of the series, Lucas’ prequel efforts dive deeper into the characters and their family lines. Portman’s character, Padmé, is introduced as the mother of Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa.
Playing the mother of Carrie Fisher’s career-defining Princess Leia, in hindsight, Portman had big shoes to fill and a lot of pressure on her shoulders. At only 16 years old when filming began, the young actor turned to the big guns when it came to inspiration for the role.
Before she was cast, Portman was unfamiliar with the franchise, so naturally looked to the original movies and Fisher for guidance. But when it came to making Padmé her own, she turned outward into Hollywood history.
Lauran Bacall was a significant source of influence for Portman as she watched The Dark Passage and How To Marry A Millionaire. As she tried to embody the Queen of Naboo, the actor looked back at some of Hollywood’s greatest stars, picking up tips from the way they carried themselves and how the old starlets embodied a sense of confidence, charisma and power all at once.
Similarly, Katharine Hepburn inspired Portman. Known for being an incredibly headstrong and independent actor, Hepburn’s roles were powerful and sophisticated, pioneering for stronger female characters to be shown on the screen. Hepburn is regarded by many as the greatest female star in cinematic history, so naturally, Portman attempted to learn from the best.
Obviously, after Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn’s influence was raised. The British actor, best known for her roles in Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Sabrina, Funny Face and My Fair Lady, mastered everything from comedy to tragedy. She approached drama with a unique kind of empathy, making audiences deeply relate to her characters and achieving icon status as she did it. Despite being so petite, Hepburn commanded power and respect on and off screen. Sharing the same pixie look, no wonder Portman turned to the star for inspiration.
Rewatching the Star Wars prequels, evidence of all three great actors is wrapped up in Portman’s character. Embodying a queen that is strong and powerful, Portman infuses the character with rich emotion and empathy. Watching Padmé fall in love with Anakin Skywalker feels like watching Holly Golightly fall for Varjack or watching Katherine Hepburn’s take on Jo from Little Women as she navigates love, duty and independence.
Taking pieces from three of the best women in cinematic history, it’s no wonder that Portman’s portrayal of Padmé became so iconic.
