The following story contains a spoiler alert for the Star Wars prequel trilogy. I'm not kidding. You have been warned.
We all have different reasons why we no longer want to watch the Star Wars prequel trilogy. For some, it has to do with the tedium tied to trade federations. For others (most, actually), it has to do with Jar Jar Binks. Natalie Portman, however, has a totally different -- and seemingly valid -- excuse as to why she isn't showing her 5-year-old son the three Star Wars movies that mommy did before he was born. She explains:
It's kind of a shame. You know, when I made it, I was like, 'This is going to be the coolest thing. One day when I have kids, I can show them.' And boys, of course, are obsessed with it and know all about it before they've seen it. [But] I realized, I die in the movies. I feel like it's kind of a scary thing to show your kid.
At the end of Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith, Natalie Portman's character, Padme Amidala, dies giving birth to some very famous twins: Luke and Leia Skywalker. Comically, she lives long enough to give them their famous names. Then, her body is altered to still look pregnant, to throw off Padme's baby daddy, aka Darth Vader. Here, watch the scene one more time, in case it has been a while:
This is an interesting conundrum that actors and actresses face. During a recent interview with Naomi Watts, I told her how much The Impossible moved both myself and my family. She told me that it's a movie she has held off on showing her own children, because "mommy" takes such a beating in the film. She didn't want to put her own children through the ordeal of seeing bad things happen. And I totally get that.
On the flip side, there are some truly heroic Padme moments in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and Natalie Portman is depriving her kid of seeing his mom kick some serious ass, at least in Attack of the Clones. Skip to this part, Natalie!
Natalie Portman made this Star Wars confession on Jimmy Kimmel, where she was promoting her directorial debut A Tale of Love and Darkness, which is opening in limited release. You can watch their conversation here:
If Natalie Portman is sensitive about Revenge of the Sith, she might want to sit out of Rogue One, as well. It opens in theaters on December 16.
While Portman is still concerned about movies from Star Wars' past, we are focused on the story's future. Rian Johnson has been working hard on Star Wars: Episode 8, the sequel to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and we have have followed him evert step of the way. Find out EVERYTHING we know about the next Star Wars movie by reading on.
After years and years of waiting, Star Wars: The Force Awakens delivered not only thrills, but also answers to some of the biggest questions that fans have been asking about the fictional universe since the release of Return of the Jedi. Of course, the film is not only considered Episode VII, but also the launch pad for a brand new trilogy of movies that will work to complete the story of both the characters we've just been introduced to and the ones we've known and loved for decades. Basically, the wait for The Force Awakens has ended, but now the wait for _Star Wars: Episode VIII _has begun.
As we do with all big upcoming blockbusters, we've thrown together a handy guide for the next chapter of the legendary sci-fi story -- utilizing all of the information that we got from The Force Awakens as well as all of the rumors and reports that have been swirling around. What do we know so far about Star Wars: Episode VIII? Read on and find out!
Star Wars: Episode 8 What We Know So Far
