Ray Winstone says he turned up drunk to an audition to play Padmé Amidala’s father in the Star Wars prequels, recalling an encounter with George Lucas that he admits “didn’t go well.” The actor, now 68, described arriving “pissed” after a night out and sensing immediately he was wrong for the part, which ultimately went to Australian actor Graeme Blundell. He remembered Lucas being largely silent during the read and, in frustration, quipping that they should both take a short nap and he would leave.
Winstone’s account adds a candid footnote to the long casting history around the prequels, where family members of principal characters appear briefly but carry weight in the broader saga. Padmé’s father, Ruwee Naberrie, is seen on screen in Revenge of the Sith after earlier scenes in Attack of the Clones were trimmed from the theatrical cut. The role’s on-screen credit sits with Blundell, a fact that aligns with franchise records and reference materials.
The actor, who has alternated between British dramas and large-scale studio projects, framed the audition as a mismatch of tone and timing rather than a lingering dispute, noting that he has crossed paths with Lucas since without issue. His comments also touch on the challenge of reading for modestly sized parts in effects-heavy productions, where the process can feel impersonal compared with character-led films. The anecdote arrives amid renewed interest in how the prequels were cast, as fans continue to surface alternate histories and near-misses from the early 2000s production cycle.
Winstone has remained blunt about his studio experiences elsewhere, speaking recently about extensive reshoots on Black Widow, but he presented the Star Wars story with a degree of self-deprecation—acknowledging that showing up unprepared undercut any chance he had at joining the Naberrie family on screen. His remarks help explain why viewers ultimately met a different performer as Padmé’s father and illustrate how small moments in the audition room can redirect a franchise footnote.
