Published 13:42 IST, September 27th 2020
Keira Knightley struggles to remember her character from Star Wars; 'Who did I play?'
As Padme's life was threatened while she fled a Trade Federation blockade of her planet Naboo, her handmaiden Sabe, played by Knightley, swapped places with her
In what could have left Keira Knightley’s fans and especially Star Wars fans stunned, the actor on September 26 struggled to remember her role in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. In an interview with comingsoon.net about her historical drama Misbehaviour, Knightley, when asked about her role as Sabé, Queen Amidala’s (played by Natalie Portman) double, in the 1999 movie, the actor said she could hardly recall “anything” related to her character. Knightley failed to as much remember the name of the character that she played.
The host asked the Star Wars actor whether her character from the movie had, in fact, survived, citing that Portman's Padmé did not, to which, the actor responded with confusion. “Wait a minute. Who did I play? Was I not Padmé?” NME quoted the star as saying. Not just that, Knightley struggled with minute details about The Phantom Menace.
The Oscar-nominated actress’ role was the double of Natalie Portman's Padmé Amidala also known as Padmé Amidala Naberrie, one that depicted a valiant and a hopeful leader that was the Queen and the Senator of Naboo. Amidala was the proud elected ruler of the Royal House of Naboo, who was also a political idealist as she preserved the tenets of democracy in the Galactic Republic. As Padme's life was threatened while she fled a Trade Federation blockade of her planet Naboo, her handmaiden Sabe, played by Knightley, swapped places with her.
'Sat in background during movie shoot'
However, not being able to remember that information, Knightley responded, that she had been able to watch the film just barely once. And back then, she was only 12. She watched the movie a year after the release and hadn’t got an opportunity to view it again. The actor was then questioned if there was a chance of reprising the role for a new installment of the franchise, to which, she responded sarcastically. “No, there hasn’t,” Knightley responded with a laugh. Earlier, in a separate interview with Total Film, the actor had said that during the movie shoot, she mostly sat in the background of shoots that she often fell asleep.
Updated 13:42 IST, September 27th 2020