The Unknown Story of the Mongolian Lady Behind the Star Wars Saga

The extraordinary appearance of the queen with a face like porcelain and a huge “fashion” piece left even the biggest fans of Star Wars with their mouths open. The combination of colors and accessories gave her an unusual but striking look which, for Natalie Portman, was the first project that threw her into the hands of Hollywood. Many people have wondered about the true story behind Queen Amidala, and we decided to look into it.

Who is Queen Amidala?

Padmé Amidala is the young, beautiful, and graceful queen of Naboo in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. The queen sacrificed her childhood and adolescence to serve and help her people. As one of the best and brightest leaders in Naboo, Amidala exerted every effort to defend the underprivileged and oppressed inhabitants of the galaxy.

Padmé Amidala is described wearing a long red velvet gown with embossed roses and a triple-braided soutache on the collars and cuffs. The headpiece parts her hair on both sides, tied with golden hair bands that are decorated with hair ornaments. Her face is painted white, like porcelain, decorated with makeup. Her costume has a powerful meaning, and designers wanted to amplify her queen status.

Dresses designed for Padmé Amidala were inspired by Mongolian fashion.

To style the specific Amidala outfits, Star Wars costume designers looked to Asian and Mongolian deel. The color red is considered auspicious in many Asian cultures, the powdered white face is a nod to the renowned Japanese geisha and a sign of wealth, and the headpiece and puffy sleeves are typical elements of the Mongolian deel and Korean hanbok.

According to a folktale, Khalkha Mongols “were the product of a love affair between a nature spirit and a cow.” This peculiar hairstyle for ladies is a reference to this belief, and the jewelry that highlights the protruding “horns” is a sign of prosperity.

Many people believe that this particular character was inspired by the last Mongolian
Queen Genepil. Even though there is no evidence of how she looked, it is known that she was young and beautiful when the Guardians of the Mongol court picked her to be queen against her will.

Which other characters from your favorite shows and movies are inspired by a real person?