Natalie Portman at Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor, Jake Lloyd, Pernilla
August, Terence Stamp, Samuel L. Jackson, Ahmed Best,
Ian McDiarmid, Anthony Daniels...
US Release Date: May 19, 1999
Filmed: during the summer of 1997 (June 27 - September)
in Tunisia (Tozeur & Ksar Hadada), Italy (Royal Palace,
Caserta, Campania) & England (Leavesden).
Plot Summary: When the evil Trade Federation plots to
take over the peaceful planet of Naboo, Jedi warrior Qui-Gon
Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi travel to Naboo
to warn the planet's young Queen Amidala. Eventually,
Naboo is invaded; forcing the Jedis to evacuate the
planet with the Queen and her court. They travel to the
desert planet of Tatooine where they meet a slave boy
named Anakin Skywalker. They enlist his help in fighting
the war. with them on their journy is Gungan outcast Jar
Jar Binks, the powerful Captain Panaka and the small
droid R2-D2, who will all travel to the faraway planet
Coruscant in a futile attempt to save their world from
Darth Sidious, leader of the Trade Federation, and Darth
Maul, the strongest Dark Lord of the Sith to ever wield
a lightsaber. and then things go to hell.
Notes: Natalie hadn't seen the original Star Wars films
until after she was offered the part. She had a hard
time shooting this film ("I don't think I was very good,"
she says, frowning. "I don't want to make any excuses
for myself at all, because I'm not proud of my work in
that film, but I was really miserable while I was making
it.", Premiere, June 2002) and was injured twice on the
set. Once when she sprained her ankle. and another time
when a squib accidentally went off too soon and hit her
in the eye. but she's fine now. so don't worry.
