Star Wars: Natalie Portman Reveals the Weird Prop She Kept From Prequel Movies

Natalie Portman starred as Padme Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy and she took home an unorthodox souvenir from one of the film's sets. Portman recently sat for one of GQ's "Actually Me" videos, in which she goes online to answer questions fans have asked across various platforms. In response to one question about her time filming Star Wars, Portman revealed that she took home a very specific piece of Star Wars history from the set of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. "From the second one, I took one of Anakin's braids -- he had that little like braid hanging down -- then I lost it, you know? So that's not very helpful."

And, of course, fans are always wondering if actors from previous Star Wars movies could return in future installments of the franchise. Portman's Star Wars co-stars Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen did so for Obi-Wan Kenobi. As for Portman, she says, "I have no information on this. No one's ever asked me to return, but I'm open to it."

Taika Waititi Asked Natalie Portman To Be In His Star Wars Movie

Well, almost no one has asked her to return. Taika Waititi, who directed Portman in Thor: Love and Thunder, asked Portman to join his upcoming Star Wars movie, forgetting her role in the three prequels.

"He says he did 'cause he like asked me if it wanted to be in a Star Wars movie and I was like, 'I was,'" Portman recalled. "I thought he was joking. He's such a joker that I thought it was a joke, and then afterwards he said in some interview that he, like, was cringing afterwards."

Natalie Portman on Star Wars Prequels Backlash

While the fans who grew up with the Star Wars prequel trilogy aren't shy about their love for them these days, the films came out to backlash from older fans who grew up watching the original Star Wars trilogy. In 2019, Portman expressed her disappointment with the reaction the films got from Star Wars fans.

"It was a bummer because it felt like people were so excited about new ones and then to have people feel disappointed," Portman told Empire. "Also to be at an age that I didn't really understand that's kind of the nature of the beast. When something has that much anticipation it can almost only disappoint." But of the reassessment in later years, Portman added, "With the perspective of time, it's been re-evaluated by a lot of people who actually really love them now. There's a very avid group of people who think they're the best ones now! I don't have enough perspective to weigh in."

The Star Wars prequel trilogy is streaming on Disney+. The films are also available on home media.