Stars Talk Clones And Episode III

The stars also had their first chance to see Episode II in final form.
"The intrigue is more intricate and gives the audience something to think about, even though we know the story," said an excited Samuel L. Jackson (Mace Windu). "It's being opened up to us and discovered. It's still one of the most visually interesting things to sit down and watch, even though you know what's going to happen to Anakin."

"I'm not a Star Wars person, but I was so entertained by this film," Natalie Portman (Padme Amidala) smiled. "It was amazing. I tend to get bored in action movies. I really think it's going to be great for young people. Girls get the cute boy, guys get a little skin and lots of action."

Portman is particularly satisfied with the burgeoning romance her character experiences. "I like that she comes from a place where everything is rigid and formal, so uptight. It's such an interesting place to start from in a love story, because you have to melt her to get her in a place where she can be vulnerable. I think the first film, the mask-like façade was a really wonderful place to have continuity from because you can see she's had this formal rigid upbringing and that changes when she meets that young stud."

"He's not too bad lookin'," she laughed. "He has a passion and intensity that's similar to hers. She's a fixer -- she's someone who thinks she can fix the world and then she sees this young man who's very damaged and broken. She sees he's not beyond repair yet and it's attractive to her to be able to bring him out of that."