Natalie Portman: Forbidden Love

But while Natalie might not really have been soaring through space as her character was, the actress did take a journey to a faraway land--Fox Studios Australia--to shoot Attack of the Clones. "I love Sydney," she said. "Coming to Australia to work was a good way to transition back into the Star Wars world. It was such a completely different setting than where I had been for a long time, and it became part of this new experience. This film has been one of my best experiences--I really loved working on it, and the crew and cast are amazing."

The location made the production feel new, but when you're working on Star Wars, some things never change. "I don't think George has changed at all since the last film," Portman said with a smile. "He wears the same clothes. He gives the same style of direction. He's very much the same--a really nice person."

Lucas had to give Portman a summary of all three prequels before she signed on to play Padmé for Phantom Menace. "He mainly told me the plot of the three films and where we were going," she said. "I pretty much knew the basic storyline of Attack of the Clones from the start, because George had given me the basic gist of what was going to happen when I decided to do all three movies at 14."

That means that Portman is one of the few people who has been given a heads-up on what's in store for Episode III from the man himself. "It's very basic--I think it's pretty much what everyone knows about Episode III," she said. "The children are born, and Anakin goes to the dark side. But that's pretty much all I know."

But does Natalie Portman know what part Padmé plays in Anakin's tragic turn? "I don't think you can say someone else's decisions or actions are caused by a particular person," she said, "but I think everyone's environment shapes them. So I have a feeling that everyone who ever came into Anakin's world had some effect on him that led him to where he ended up--and especially Padmé, being such a central part of his life, from such a young age, probably influenced him a little bit."

A little bit? It seems safe to say that Senator Padmé Amidala--former Queen of Naboo, future mother of Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia Organa, fearless leader of a peaceful people in the name of a proud Republic--has a major impact on the development of the epic events that shape the Star Wars galaxy. Unlike last time, this isn't kid stuff for Padmé--nor for the grown-up actress who plays her.