Actress Natalie Portman is opening up about being “murdered” by critics for her role in “Star Wars.” The actress portrayed the young Queen of Naboo in 1999’s “The Phantom Menace.” She reprised her role as Senator Padmé Amidala in 2002’s “Attack of the Clones,” where she grew closer to Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen). She then returned as Anakin’s secret wife in 2005’s “Revenge of the Sith,” where she gives birth to Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker before passing away.
Natalie Portman Was Only Sixteen When She Appeared In ‘Star Wars’
In a Harper’s Bazaar cover story published on October 26, the actress reflected on how she struggled with a series of “failures” early in her career before she went on to win an Oscar.
“I had lucky early experiences of failure. I know I’ve been also very lucky to have a lot of successes that have balanced it out,” she explained. “But I mean, for example, my first film, Léon: The Professional, got horrible reviews and had no box office.”
“And then I made Star Wars. I was 16, and that got murdered,” she continued. “It was a huge success financially, but all of it was ‘They ruined the franchise. None of them can act. They all suck.’”
Natalie Portman Didn’t ‘Show Anyone’ That She Was Hurt
Even though she acted alongside some top actors in the industry, such as Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson, and more, Portman revealed that she didn’t talk to anyone about how the pressure affected her.
“I think it was an amazing early lesson in how to read really bad things about yourself and then be able to be like, ‘I’m going to make another one. I’m going to show them,’” Portman told the publication. “I don’t remember talking to anyone about it. I didn’t want to show anyone that I was hurt or anything.”
Natalie Portman Didn’t Earn Her Oscar Until 2011
Even while she was in the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy, she kept taking on other projects. Roles in films like “V for Vendetta” and “Garden State” received much more positive reviews from critics. In 2005, the same year that “Revenge of the Sith” hit theaters, Portman was nominated for an Oscar for her role in “Closer.” Unfortunately, she didn’t win. She finally received her first Academy Award for her role in 2010’s “Black Swan.”
She has continued to act in various projects, including the 2024 miniseries “Lady in the Lake,” Apple TV’s 2025 movie “Fountain of Youth,” and “The Gallerist,” which hits theaters this December. In the film, she portrays an art gallery owner named Polina Polanski, who uses drastic measures to turn an accident into a work of art.
Natalie Portman Welcomed Her Third Child Earlier This Year
The actress shares son Aleph, 14, and daughter Amelia, 9, with her ex-husband, Benjamin Millepied. She welcomed her third baby in Paris in August with her partner, Tanguy Destable, whom she started seeing in March 2025. Elsewhere in the interview, Portman admitted that she is “full of wonder and joy at this magical little human.”
“It gives me a whole new attention to my big kids too, as I am reminded of how recently they were these little fresh creations and how quickly they’ve blossomed into incredible humans with their own amazing personalities and senses of humor and ideas,” Portman said of her third child.
She Admits It’s ‘Probably The Last Time’
The 45-year-old actress revealed that she feels “calm” and a sense of “gratitude” after welcoming her third child, knowing that it is probably her last.
“There is a gratitude that when you’re young, you don’t necessarily grasp,” she told the outlet. “And there’s a calm and knowing myself: who I want to spend time with, what kind of energy I want around me that makes the experience so beautiful every day. And knowing it’s probably the last time, I cherish every moment.”
