
Natalie Portman’s Padmé Amidala played a defining role in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, yet despite her significance, she has yet to return to the franchise. A recent report now suggests that Lucasfilm had plans for her comeback—but ultimately decided to leave her out.
Alongside Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), Padmé was a cornerstone of George Lucas’ prequel saga. She first appeared as the young Queen of Naboo in The Phantom Menace (1999), transitioning into a steadfast senator in Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005).
Her story came to a tragic end when she died after giving birth to Luke and Leia, marking the final moments before the Republic fell and the Empire rose.
Unlike Anakin and Obi-Wan, who have since been resurrected in Disney+ projects, Padmé remains absent from new Star Wars material. However, according to entertainment journalist Jeff Sneider, that almost changed. He revealed on John Rocha’s The Hot Mic that Portman had filmed scenes for Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) while working on Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) for Marvel Studios.

“She previously did shoot some stuff for the ‘Obi-Wan [Kenobi]’ show while working on ‘[Thor]: Love and Thunder,’ but it didn’t make the final cut, so it’s too early to know…”
If true, this raises questions about why Lucasfilm chose to remove her. Obi-Wan Kenobi, which premiered on Disney+ in May 2022, focused heavily on Obi-Wan’s guilt over Anakin’s downfall, making Padmé’s absence all the more conspicuous. With the show exploring Anakin’s lingering influence on his former master, a flashback or vision of Padmé could have added emotional depth to the narrative.
Speculation about Padmé’s return hasn’t stopped there. We recently reported that Lucasfilm was allegedly considering bringing her back for Ahsoka Season 2. If this happens, the World Between Worlds—a mystical plane that allows characters to interact with different moments in time—could serve as the perfect vehicle for her return, much like how Anakin appeared in Ahsoka Season 1.
Although these reports remain unconfirmed, Portman herself has expressed openness to revisiting the role. In 2023, she admitted that “no one’s ever asked me to return” but added that she was “open to it.” Given the franchise’s increasing reliance on nostalgia and legacy characters, it wouldn’t be surprising if Padmé finally made a long-overdue comeback.
Would you like to see Padmé return to Star Wars?