Will a Major Star Wars Prequels Character Return in Ahsoka Season 2?

After Ahsoka Season 1 featured Hayden Christensen reprising his role of Anakin Skywalker, the Star Wars show’s second season is rumored to mark the comeback of another prominent prequel trilogy character. According to Kristian Harloff, Natalie Portman could be returning the franchise to play Padmé again. “I got word that [Ahsoka showrunner Dave] Filoni is really trying hard to get this one character back,” Harloff said on an episode of his podcast. “It looks like it’s close … I don’t think it’s a signed deal yet, but it’s close, and it looks like, in Ahsoka, returning could be one Natalie Portman.”

Harloff theorized Portman’s potential casting could set the stage for what would most likely be a “World Between Worlds type thing.” He added that would “[make] sense with the Ewan McGregor of it all and young Ahsoka, they’d probably do a World Between Worlds thing, and it makes sense that [Filoni] would want her,” alluding to previous Ahsoka rumors purporting that McGregor and Ariana Greenblatt would be reprising Obi-Wan Kenobi and young Ahsoka, respectively, for Season 2. However, Star Wars News Net has heard that Portman “is not in negotiations to return.”

Portman portrayed Padmé Amidala in all three installments of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, but she hasn’t played the character since 2005’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Despite being absent from the galaxy far, far away for two decades now, the actress would be open to a return if an opportunity presented itself. Back in 2023, she mentioned that “no one has asked her” about coming back. She did, however, humorously have to remind her Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi that she played Padmé when he asked her if she wanted to be in the Star Wars movie he’s developing.

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Ahsoka Season 2 does not have an official release date as of this writing. Reportedly, the plan is for it to begin filming at some point in April. Recently, Game of Thrones actor Rory McCann joined the cast; he will portray Baylan Skoll, replacing the late Ray Stevenson.

Ahsoka has already delved into the World Between Worlds, a mystical plane in the Force that connects all of time and space. The Season 1 episode “Part Five: Shadow Warrior” sees Ahsoka undergo a series of trials in the realm, which, in part, involves her reexperiencing battles from the Clone Wars. Considering how well-received that episode was, it wouldn’t be surprising if Ahsoka Season 2 featured more of the World Between Worlds, allowing Filoni and his team to depict additional Clone War-era flashbacks to Ahsoka’s youth. On the animated series, Ahsoka is good friends with both Obi-Wan and Padmé, and it would be fun for fans to see her interact with them in live-action. Similar to Season 1’s use of the World Between Worlds, this could be an intriguing way to dive deep into Ahsoka’s psyche while also fleshing out her dynamic with some of her closest companions.

Of course, the trick would be making a Padmé return feel organic so it’s more than just a nostalgic callback for prequel trilogy fans. Star Wars has been guilty of using fan service as a crutch before, and it would be a shame if Portman’s long-awaited comeback rang hollow. What made “Part Five: Shadow Warrior” work so well wasn’t just the bits of live-action Clone Wars; it was an integral moment for Ahsoka within the context of the show’s arc, and having Anakin be the one to teach her a most important lesson was logical. If Filoni is “really trying hard” to get Portman onboard, the implication is he has something in mind that requires Padmé’s presence. Should this rumor come to pass (and fans should take it with a grain of salt for now), it will be interesting to see how she fits into Ahsoka Season 2.