<Ul> <Li> Liam Neeson as Qui - Gon Jinn , a Jedi Master who discovers Anakin and insists that the boy be trained as a Jedi despite the Jedi Council 's protests . Lucas originally wanted to cast an American actor in the role , but cast Irishman Neeson because he considered that Neeson had great skills and presence . Lucas said Neeson was a `` master actor , who the other actors will look up to , who has got the qualities of strength that the character demands '' . </Li> <Li> Ewan McGregor as Obi - Wan Kenobi , Qui - Gon 's Jedi Padawan , who holds his master in high regard but questions his motives at times . McGregor was cast from a shortlist of fifty actors , all of whom had to be compared to pictures of young Alec Guinness , who portrayed the elderly Obi - Wan , to make a believable younger version . McGregor had a vocal coach to help his voice sound closer to Guinness ' . He also studied several of Guinness ' performances , from his early work and the Star Wars movies . </Li> <Li> Natalie Portman as Queen Padmé Amidala , the 14 - year - old Queen of Naboo , who hopes to protect her planet from a blockade invasion made by the Trade Federation . Over 200 actresses auditioned for the role . The Production notes stated ; `` The role required a young woman who could be believable as the ruler of that planet , but at the same time be vulnerable and open '' . Portman was chosen especially for her performances in Léon : The Professional ( 1994 ) and Beautiful Girls ( 1996 ) , which impressed Lucas . He stated , `` I was looking for someone who was young , strong , along the lines of Leia ( and ) Natalie embodied all those traits and more '' . Portman was unfamiliar with Star Wars before being cast , but was enthusiastic about being cast as a character she expected to become a role model . Portman said , `` It was wonderful playing a young queen with so much power . I think it will be good for young women to see a strong woman of action who is also smart and a leader . '' </Li> <Li> Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker , a 9 - year - old slave boy and a skilled pilot who dreams of becoming a Jedi . Hundreds of actors were tested before the producers settled on Lloyd who Lucas considered met his requirements of `` a good actor , enthusiastic and very energetic '' . Producer Rick McCallum said that Lloyd was `` smart , mischievous and loves anything mechanical -- just like Anakin . '' </Li> <Li> Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine / Darth Sidious , a Senator of Naboo who is eventually elected Chancellor of the Republic . McDiarmid was surprised when Lucas approached him 16 years after Return of the Jedi to reprise the role of Palpatine because he had assumed that a younger actor would play the part in the prequel films . </Li> <Li> Anthony Daniels voices C - 3PO , a protocol droid built by Anakin . He lacks a metal covering in this film ; R2 - D2 refers to it as being `` naked '' . A puppeteer dressed in a color closely matching the background -- in a manner similar to the Japanese puppet theater Bunraku -- manipulated a skeletal C - 3PO figure attached to his front while Daniels read his lines off - camera . The puppeteer was erased from the film during post-production . </Li> <Li> Kenny Baker as R2 - D2 , an astromech droid that saves Queen Amidala 's ship when other droids fail . Before the film 's production started , fans campaigned on the Internet to retain Baker as R2 - D2 ; Lucas replied that the actor would remain . Baker is used for scenes where R2 - D2 bends forwards and backwards and wobbles from side to side . Robots and a digital model were used in other shots . </Li> <Li> Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker , Anakin 's mother , who is concerned for her son 's future and allows him to leave with the Jedi . August , a veteran of Swedish cinema , was chosen after auditioning with Liam Neeson . She was afraid of being rejected because of her accent . </Li> <Li> Frank Oz voices Yoda , the centuries - old leader of the Jedi Council who is apprehensive about allowing Anakin to be trained . Yoda was mostly portrayed as a puppet designed by Nick Dudman
<Ul> <Li> Liam Neeson as Qui - Gon Jinn , a Jedi Master who discovers Anakin and insists that the boy be trained as a Jedi despite the Jedi Council 's protests . Lucas originally wanted to cast an American actor in the role , but cast Irishman Neeson because he considered that Neeson had great skills and presence . Lucas said Neeson was a `` master actor , who the other actors will look up to , who has got the qualities of strength that the character demands '' . </Li> <Li> Ewan McGregor as Obi - Wan Kenobi , Qui - Gon 's Jedi Padawan , who holds his master in high regard but questions his motives at times . McGregor was cast from a shortlist of fifty actors , all of whom had to be compared to pictures of young Alec Guinness , who portrayed the elderly Obi - Wan , to make a believable younger version . McGregor had a vocal coach to help his voice sound closer to Guinness ' . He also studied several of Guinness ' performances , from his early work and the Star Wars movies . </Li> <Li> Natalie Portman as Queen Padmé Amidala , the 14 - year - old Queen of Naboo , who hopes to protect her planet from a blockade invasion made by the Trade Federation . Over 200 actresses auditioned for the role . The Production notes stated ; `` The role required a young woman who could be believable as the ruler of that planet , but at the same time be vulnerable and open '' . Portman was chosen especially for her performances in Léon : The Professional ( 1994 ) and Beautiful Girls ( 1996 ) , which impressed Lucas . He stated , `` I was looking for someone who was young , strong , along the lines of Leia ( and ) Natalie embodied all those traits and more '' . Portman was unfamiliar with Star Wars before being cast , but was enthusiastic about being cast as a character she expected to become a role model . Portman said , `` It was wonderful playing a young queen with so much power . I think it will be good for young women to see a strong woman of action who is also smart and a leader . '' </Li> <Li> Jake Lloyd as Anakin Skywalker , a 9 - year - old slave boy and a skilled pilot who dreams of becoming a Jedi . Hundreds of actors were tested before the producers settled on Lloyd who Lucas considered met his requirements of `` a good actor , enthusiastic and very energetic '' . Producer Rick McCallum said that Lloyd was `` smart , mischievous and loves anything mechanical -- just like Anakin . '' </Li> <Li> Ian McDiarmid as Senator Palpatine / Darth Sidious , a Senator of Naboo who is eventually elected Chancellor of the Republic . McDiarmid was surprised when Lucas approached him 16 years after Return of the Jedi to reprise the role of Palpatine because he had assumed that a younger actor would play the part in the prequel films . </Li> <Li> Anthony Daniels voices C - 3PO , a protocol droid built by Anakin . He lacks a metal covering in this film ; R2 - D2 refers to it as being `` naked '' . A puppeteer dressed in a color closely matching the background -- in a manner similar to the Japanese puppet theater Bunraku -- manipulated a skeletal C - 3PO figure attached to his front while Daniels read his lines off - camera . The puppeteer was erased from the film during post-production . </Li> <Li> Kenny Baker as R2 - D2 , an astromech droid that saves Queen Amidala 's ship when other droids fail . Before the film 's production started , fans campaigned on the Internet to retain Baker as R2 - D2 ; Lucas replied that the actor would remain . Baker is used for scenes where R2 - D2 bends forwards and backwards and wobbles from side to side . Robots and a digital model were used in other shots . </Li> <Li> Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker , Anakin 's mother , who is concerned for her son 's future and allows him to leave with the Jedi . August , a veteran of Swedish cinema , was chosen after auditioning with Liam Neeson . She was afraid of being rejected because of her accent . </Li> <Li> Frank Oz voices Yoda , the centuries - old leader of the Jedi Council who is apprehensive about allowing Anakin to be trained . Yoda was mostly portrayed as a puppet designed by Nick Dudman
who plays the queen in star wars episode 1
who plays the queen in star wars episode 1
Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman