1 of Natalie Portman’s ‘Star Wars’ Co-Stars Once Admitted He Had an Inappropriate Crush on Her
Star Wars fans were shocked in 2016 when Carrie Fisher revealed she and Harrison Ford had an affair while making the original film. Of course, on-set romances are nothing new. Even Natalie Portman alluded to heartbreak that might have involved co-star Hayden Christensen. But one of Portman’s other co-stars once confessed he had a “terrible crush” on the young star.
Natalie Portman was just a teen when she joined the ‘Star Wars’ saga
Portman had only starred in a handful of movies prior to landing the part of Padmé Amidala in Star Wars. She made her film debut at the age of 13 in Luc Besson’s crime thriller Léon: The Professional. And her turn as Mathilda — a young girl who becomes a budding assassin after her family’s murder — still stands as one of the best child actor performances of all time.
In the mid-1990s, Portman took on supporting roles as she experienced in the industry. These projects allowed her to work with acclaimed directors like Michael Mann, Woody Allen, and Tim Burton. But none of her films came close to the anticipation or scope of Star Wars. Portman went on to appear in all three prequel movies, including 1999’s The Phantom Menace.
Yet, her much older co-star admitted he had a ‘terrible crush’ on the actor
When the much-anticipated Star Wars movie released in May 1999, Portman had still not yet turned 18. However, actor Terence Stamp — who plays Chancellor Valorum in The Phantom Menace — once confessed he only took the cameo role because he wanted to meet Portman. According to IndieWire, the actor said on BBC Radio 6, he had a “terrible crush” on her.
At the time, Stamp was nearly 60 years old. So even setting aside the unprofessional side of things, this age difference makes the actor’s feelings inappropriate at best. In the end, he didn’t even get to work with Portman on his day of shooting. Instead, director George Lucas asked Stamp to act opposite a piece of paper where Portman’s character would be added later.
Natalie Portman is returning as Jane Foster in ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’
With 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, Portman officially left the Star Wars saga behind. But a few years later, she did take on another massive franchise. In 2011’s Thor and 2013’s Thor: The Dark World, she played Jane Foster in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And after nearly a decade away from the MCU, Portman will return for Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022.
But the upcoming movie won’t simply see her play the love interest of Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder. In the Taika Waititi-directed movie, Portman’s Jane Foster will become a superhero herself, the Mighty Thor. Fans are curious to see how the MCU will adapt the story from the comics, especially after Waititi’s Thor: Ragnarok. Judging by that film, anything is possible
