It’s been over 20 years since The Phantom Menace premiered. After all this time, you’re definitely not the only one wondering what happened to the cast of this Star Wars prequel film, so join us up ahead as we take a look at the Star Wars Episode 1 cast now—from the big names behind Jedi Masters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, to more niche roles like Anakin Skywalker’s mom.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace was one of the most anticipated films of all time when it premiered in 1999. As the first installment of George Lucas’s prequel trilogy, it marked the return of the Star Wars saga to the big screen after a 16-year hiatus. The film introduced a new generation of fans to the galaxy far, far away while reuniting the OT generation with familiar planets and characters.
Set decades before the events of the original trilogy, The Phantom Menace sets the backstory for the rise of Darth Vader and the transformation of the Republic into the Galactic Empire. It follows Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi as they discover a young Anakin Skywalker on the desert planet of Tatooine. Alongside the Jedi were characters like Padmé Amidala, a young queen and future mother of Luke and Leia Skywalker, and the crafty Jar Jar Binks, whose clumsy antics sparked plenty of controversy among fans.
As the years passed, many of the cast members continued to find success in Hollywood and beyond. From Liam Neeson’s action-packed roles to Ewan McGregor’s genre-hopping performances, plenty of actors from The Phantom Menace are still making their mark in the entertainment industry today. So, without any further ado, let’s catch up with them and see where their journeys have taken them since their time in the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars 1 Cast Now
Keep on reading ahead to see the Star Wars: Episode 1 cast now.
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Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn)
Image Credit: Everett Collection. Liam Neeson, who portrayed the wise and stoic Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, has had a very successful career since The Phantom Menace. Known for his roles in 1993’s Schindler’s List and 2009’s Taken, Neeson is still acting into his 70s. His role as Bryan Mills in the Taken franchise made him a household name, with his iconic “particular set of skills” speech even becoming a meme of its own.
In recent years, Neeson has appeared in films like 2018’s The Commuter and 2023’s Retribution. Meanwhile, in his personal life, Neeson has two sons, Michael and Daniel, from his marriage to the late Natasha Richardson, who tragically passed away in 2009 after a skiing accident.
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Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Image Credit: Everett Collection Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of the young Obi-Wan Kenobi made him a standout in the prequel trilogy. Since then, McGregor has had a versatile career, starring in movies from the musical Moulin Rouge! to the fantasy film Big Fish. He also took on the horror movie role of Danny Torrance in Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining. In 2021, he even went on to win an Emmy for his performance in the limited series Halston.
The following year, McGregor returned to the Star Wars universe with the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi, which was nominated for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. While Obi-Wan didn’t take home any awards that night, the series was a hit for allowing fans to reconnect with his iconic character after all these years.
When McGregor filmed Phantom Menace, he was married to French production designer Eve Mavrakis, with whom he welcomed his first child, Clara. In the years since, McGregor has gone on to become a dad of five. Their daughter, Esther, was born in 2001, and the pair later adopted two more daughters, Jamyan and Anouk. In 2017, McGregor and Mavrakis announced their separation after 22 years of marriage. McGregor has since gotten remarried to actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead, with whom he welcomed his fifth child and first son, Laurie, in 2021.
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Natalie Portman (Padmé Amidala)
Image Credit: Everett Collection. Natalie Portman, who played Queen Amidala and later Padmé Amidala, has built an impressive career for herself since The Phantom Menace. She won an Academy Award for her role in 2010’s Black Swan and has starred in a wide range of films, from V for Vendetta to Annihilation. Portman also took another stab at franchise acting, appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Jane Foster in the Thor films and later reprising her role in Thor: Love and Thunder.
In addition to her acting career, Portman continues to be a vocal advocate for social and environmental causes. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Harvard University, which she attended from 1999 to 2003 after filming The Phantom Menace. From 2012 to 2024, Portman was married to ballet dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied, with whom she has two children, son Aleph and daughter Amalia.
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Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker)
Image Credit: Everett Collection/Getty Images. Jake Lloyd portrayed the young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. Following his role in the film, Lloyd stepped away from acting due. In a 2012 interview with the UK tabloid The Sun, Lloyd shared that he was bullied over his involvement in the Star Wars franchise. “My entire school life was really a living hell, and I had to do up to 60 interviews a day,” he told the publication. “Other children were really mean to me…They would make the sound of the lightsaber every time they saw me.”
In the years since, Lloyd’s family has been vocal about his struggles with mental health. In 2008, the former child actor was diagnosed with schizophrenia. His mother, Lisa Lloyd, opened up about his condition in an interview with Scripps News in 2024, revealing that he entered an 18-month stay at a mental health rehabilitation facility to seek treatment. As Lloyd focuses on his well-being, fans continue to wish him the best and hope for his recovery.
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Ian McDiarmid (Palpatine/Darth Sidious)
Image Credit: Everett Collection/Getty Images. Ian McDiarmid, known for his portrayal of Emperor Palpatine, has a long history with the Star Wars franchise. After his appearance in The Phantom Menace, McDiarmid reprised his role as Palpatine in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. He returned as the sinister character in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, completing his journey as the ultimate villain of the saga. McDiarmid has also had a successful career in theater and continues to be involved in the Star Wars community, often appearing at fan conventions and events.
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Ahmed Best (Jar Jar Binks)
Image Credit: Everett Collection. Ahmed Best played the controversial Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace. His role was met with mixed reactions, with many fans of the film deeming him to be one of the most “annoying” characters in the franchise. Others also believed the character was based on racial stereotypes of Black people, leading to major backlash from Star Wars fans and critics alike.
Despite the challenges, Best has continued to work in entertainment, focusing on various projects in acting, voice work, and music. He’s been candid about his experiences with the negative reaction to Jar Jar Binks, telling The New York Times that the backlash affected his mental health. “It took almost a mortal toll on me. It was too much,” Best told the paper in 2024. “It was the first time in my life where I couldn’t see the future. I didn’t see any hope. Here I was at 26 years old, living my dream, and my dream was over.”
However, Best’s journey with the Star Wars universe has since taken a more positive turn. In 2023, Best appeared as Jedi Master Kelleran Beq in the Disney+ series, The Mandalorian, marking a welcome surprise for fans.
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Anthony Daniels (C-3PO)
Image Credit: Everett Collection. Anthony Daniels is synonymous with C-3PO, the iconic protocol droid he has portrayed since the original Star Wars trilogy. Following The Phantom Menace, Daniels continued to voice C-3PO in nearly every Star Wars project to date—from the sequel trilogy, to animated series like Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: Rebels. In fact, Daniels is the only actor to have appeared in or voiced all theatrical films in the franchise.
Outside of Star Wars, Daniels has worked in theater and has written a memoir about his experiences in the franchise, titled I Am C-3PO: The Inside Story. Daniels is married to Christine Savage, who he married the same year as The Phantom Menace’s release in 1999. These days, he remains a beloved figure among fans and frequently appears at conventions to meet with them. -
Kenny Baker (R2-D2)
Image Credit: Everett Collection/Getty Images. Kenny Baker was the man inside the beloved astromech droid R2-D2. He played the role throughout the original trilogy and returned for The Phantom Menace. Baker continued his work as R2-D2 in the prequel trilogy and was also involved in other iconic films like The Elephant Man. Sadly, Baker passed away in 2016. Fans remember him fondly for his role in bringing R2-D2 to life and continue to appreciate his contributions to the Star Wars universe. Baker is survived by his two children, Christopher and Kevin Baker, whom he welcomed with his late wife, Eileen Baker, before her death in 1993.
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Pernilla August (Shmi Skywalker)
Image Credit: Everett Collection/Getty Images. Pernilla August played Shmi Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker’s mother, in The Phantom Menace. Since then, she has continued her career in film and television, mostly in her home country of Sweden. August has won multiple awards for her performances and has also directed several films, including 2010’s Beyond, which was selected as the Swedish entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards. In her personal life, August was previously married to director Bille August, with whom she has two daughters, Asta and Alba.
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Frank Oz (Yoda)
Image Credit: Everett Collection/Getty Images. In the world of puppetry and voice acting, Frank Oz is something of a legend. He is best known for his role as none other than Yoda in the Star Wars franchise. Beyond The Phantom Menace, Oz continued to lend his voice to Yoda in the prequel trilogy and subsequent Star Wars projects. He’s also renowned for his work with The Muppets, voicing characters like Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear.
Outside of voice acting, Oz has had a successful directing career, helming films like The Dark Crystal and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He is also a father to four adult children, and has been married to Victoria Labalme since 2011.