Catherine Taber has been a part of the Star Wars universe for over a decade, and has lent her voice to numerous video games, animations and characters, including Leia and Padme.
Taber is probably best known for her portrayal of Padme in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but she has also voice acted in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed I & 2, Star Wars: Forces of Destiny, Star Wars: Detours, Star Wars: Uprising, Lego Star Wars, Star Wars: Rebels. She also played Leia in Robot Chicken, and had an uncredited speaking role in Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
Recently, we spoke with the actress in support of her newest film, Haven's End, in which she plays the lead.
While chatting with her about her new movie, the conversation inevitably turned to Star Wars, since The Clone Wars just wrapped in 2020. This part of our conversation focuses on her initially getting the role of Padme Amidala all the way back in 2008, and what it was that snagged her the gig.
"With the role of Padme, I didn't really have an audition originally. This was a secret project, and they were going to all these big on-camera agencies, and everyone was reading for it, but I was really, really new. But my agent actually called Andrea Romano, the amazing casting person, and said, "you gotta see this girl. She is Padme," and got me the audition. And I definitely went back and rewatched and re-listened to the movies and stuff. But I approached it like Padme was a character almost like in a Shakespearian sort of way in that other people had already played her, and other people besides Natalie had played her. So it was more about what her essence is and what's meaningful to her.
I like to throw in personalization, and so I had said one of the lines, and then I ended it with 'Ani'", and they said that they heard a lot of people that were good up until that point. And they're like, "Oh yeah, she's good." And then when I said, Ani, they were like, "yep, that's her." So sometimes a role matches up with you, and that's Padme for me. I love the character so much. It's been such an honor to play her and to get to do EK Johnston's books and all this stuff since then, where I get to continue her. But the best part about playing Padme is meeting all of these people throughout the world. Not only who cosplay as her, but there are also whole clubs and leagues of people who love her as much as I do. And that's the coolest thing cause she's such a great character to admire and idolize. We need some more Padme Amidala in the world, except, I always say, for her taste in men."
You can hear the Star Wars: The Clone Wars clip of our chat with Padme Amidala voice actress Catherine Taber below, and stay tuned for more. Be sure to check out the trailer and synopsis for her newest film, Haven's End, and share your thoughts in the usual spot!
*This interview has been edited for clarity.*
Major cities across the globe are under attack. A surgeon and her friends flee Atlanta to her family property in the countryside of south Georgia. They arrive to discover her estranged brother and his girlfriend already holed up on the land. As they try to figure out how to work together to survive, strange lights and unusual activity in the surrounding forest lead them to believe they are not alone.
Haven's End is now available on DVD and Digital.