Natalie Portman on her Star Wars memories;
Hayden Christensen on his new Star Wars memories….

Director Taika Waititi may not remember Natalie Portman appeared in Star Wars, but Queen Amidala’s alter ego certainly does. And recently, as Portman answered questions about appearing as “The Mighty Thor” in Thor: Love and Thunder via D23’s “Inside Disney” podcast, she recounted fond memories from the Star Wars “Prequels.”

The Importance of Being Padme

Speaking to the experience of being Padmé, Portman explained how eye-opening the experience was for her at such a young age.

“Getting to travel to North Africa for the first time and being in Tunisia was really an amazing opportunity,” she recalled. “I’d never been in that kind of landscape before. And it feels like another planet.

“It was really special.”

Also special to Natalie was (and is) her prominent place in the Star Wars pantheon.

“It was amazing to get to enter a universe where there were already so many passionate fans,” said Portman. “It was very lucky to inherit that and kind of ride the coattails of that.

“I also realized the pressure of that, of course, when people love it so much, what it means to them,” continued the Oscar-winning actor.

“So, it was very quickly understood that this was a very meaningful situation for all the fans of Star Wars,” she said.

Unexpected (at least to this podcast listener) was the knowledge that Portman remains in close contact with a number of the cast and crew from The Prequels.

“I loved working with Ahmed Best,” said Portman of the Jar Jar Binks actor. “He’s still one of my very, very close friends.

“And Joel Edgerton (Owen Lars in The Prequels and Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Nash Edgerton — Joel was, of course, was in the films and Nash was also in the films as Ewan’s stunt double — so, I feel like anytime I worked with any of them was always magical because they are such good friends.

“Rose Byrne (Dormé), also, is another person I’ve been lucky to stay friends with,” she said.

Listen to the entire interview below:

D23 Inside Disney Episode 148 | Natalie Portman on Thor: Love and Thunder

Ewan Uses The Force

Speaking of “good fun,” recently Ewan McGregor admitted to a very funny habit he’s picked up over his stints playing Obi-Wan Kenobi.

@fallontonight

#EwanMcGregor pretends to use the force in real-life situations. 😂 #StarWars #ObiWanKenobi #FallonTonight

♬ original sound – FallonTonight

Apparently, McGregor likes to “use the Force” to open automatic doors.

“I always do it for myself,” said a laughing McGregor to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. “But I also hope somebody sees me do it. You know?”

Keep it here for all the lates from the Star Wars galaxy, friends. Until we meet again, “May the Force be with you. Always.”