Everyone dedicated to a fandom knows far too well that we tend to take our ships very seriously at times. No, I’m not talking about a starship from a galaxy far, far, away, but rather a romantic relationship that’s popular in a movie or TV show franchise. Star Wars fans should know people are very passionate about the pairings throughout the films, whether it be Kylo Ren and Rey or Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala.
Though things didn’t end well for Anakin and Padmé during the prequel movies, fans still shipped them together, making Padmé’s death after learning of Anakin’s turn to the Dark Side all the more heartbreaking. Say what you want about this Star Wars trilogy, but I’ll be the first to admit there are some emotional moments–even if they are also cheesy at times.
The actors who portrayed Anakin and Padmé were all the rage back in the late 1990s and early 2000s when the prequels came out, leaving fans to wonder if they actually dated in real life, too. Were Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman ever an item?
Did Hayden Christensen date Natalie Portman?
While the two actors might’ve had chemistry on-screen, it was likely only acting. According to MTV.com, Christensen and Portman were rumored to have dated in 2000 soon after the release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, however, this was never confirmed. Portman has been known to date her co-stars, but we don’t have any substantial evidence to say Christensen was one of those lucky men.
In an uncovered interview, as reported by Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Christensen was straight-up asked if he fell in love with his Star Wars co-star while acting together. The Jumper actor kept his cool while smiling and explaining, “You know, you have to a little bit if you’re really going to believe yourself in the role. We’re pretty good friends now, but you know, it’s something that you just have to sort of believe.”
For these two stars, it seems to be a case of fans wanting them to date in real life, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Although Hayden Christensen and Natalie Portman are pretty private about their love lives, I think we’d know for sure if the stars of one of the biggest franchises ever got together romantically.
Today, the Thor: Love and Thunder actress is married to dancer/choreographer Benjamin Millepied, who she met on the set of Black Swan, while Christensen appears to be single.
Learn more about the stars of the franchise with our Star Wars actors category on Dork Side of the Force!