Star Wars Prequel Actress Trisha Noble Dies at 76

Star Wars actress Trisha Noble has passed away. The actress and singer reportedly died in late January due to complications from mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. She was 76.

In pop culture circles, Noble was best known for playing Jobal Naberrie, the mother of Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman). She was originally set to appear in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, except her role was cut from the theatrical release of the movie. She also appeared in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith during the funeral proceedings of Amidala.

Born Patricia Noble, the Star Wars star got her start as a teenage pop singer in the 1960s, appearing on Australian shows like Bandstand. Her singing career was successful enough to earn her a Best Female Singer of the Year awards in 1961, which led to a record deal with Columbia Records.

She sang throughout the '60s, before adopting Trisha Noble as her stage name and moving to the United States to begin a career in acting. Her earliest television credits include The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Columbo, and Buck Rogers.

Her most recent acting credit is in 2017's Ladies in Black.

Noble was preceded in death by her parents, comedian Clarence "Buster" Noble, and singer Helen De Paul.