Dork Side of the Force
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30 iconic Star Wars roles that almost went to different actors

By Maggie Lovitt

Joaquin Phoenix, Elizabeth Olsen and Tessa Thompson. Composite: Dork Side of the Force.
Joaquin Phoenix, Elizabeth Olsen and Tessa Thompson. Composite: Dork Side of the Force. /
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LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 20: Vinette Robinson attends the Jameson Empire Awards 2016 at The Grosvenor House Hotel on March 20, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 20: Vinette Robinson attends the Jameson Empire Awards 2016 at The Grosvenor House Hotel on March 20, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images) /

21. Padme Amidala (Vinette Robinson)

A few years ago during an interview on The Two Shot Podcast, Vinette Robinson revealed that when she was 13 years old she had auditioned for the role that would eventually go to Natalie Portman. In fact, it wasn’t just an audition for Star Wars — it was her first audition.

The British actress went on to explain the audition process, citing issues with her strong Yorkshire accent, “I didn’t know what to do and I was really nervous and I felt like I had to talk really proper, like I tried to talk properly [and] sit up really straight.” While she may have felt like her accent hindered her audition, the American actress Natalie Portman did use a British accent for the role.

As other outlets have noted, it’s interesting that the Sherlock star had been considered for the role of Luke and Leia’s mother, considering Robinson’s mixed ethnicity. Regardless, she would have made a regal Queen Amidala.

She did make an appearance in the franchise during Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker as Tyce and it was a notable one at that. Robinson made history for the film franchise by appearing as one half of Disney’s first on-camera queer kiss.

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