Actor treasures Star Wars role despite fan backlash

The 43-year-old actress played Padme Amidala in the pictures and is proud to have been involved in the franchise even though the films are viewed unfavourably by audiences.

"I see it as an extraordinary lucky thing to have been part of," Portman told Total Film magazine.

"I know how meaningful it is for people and, every day, still, people are like, 'I just watched it with my kids'.

"To be part of something like that, that's part of that cultural mythology and part of people's childhoods in such a vibrant way, is so, so lucky."

The Black Swan star continued: "And, yeah, I think obviously with the reaction to them when they came out, being as harsh as it was - it was hard."

Portman said fans had gained more appreciation for the films over time "which has been nice - to always feel the balm of time".

"But, yeah, I feel very blessed to have been part of that, at that moment in my life," she said.

Portman confessed in 2023 that she had never seen any of the Star Wars movies before being cast as Padme, even though she was "aware of the lingo" of the sci-fi flicks.

"I didn't know the films at all before I was cast," she told Radio Times magazine.

"I was aware of the lingo, as American culture is so immersed in Star Wars.

"Even if you've never seen the movies, you know what Princess Leia buns are, what a lightsaber is, what a Jedi is - you know who Yoda and Obi-Wan are ... you know all these words and names before you even see the films.

"But I only saw the films when I was approached to do them."

Australian Associated Press