20 Things You Didn't Know About Star Wars: Attack Of The Clones

10. Terence Stamp Declined To Return After Having A Miserable Experience On The Phantom Menace

Terence Stamp appeared in The Phantom Menace as Chancellor Valorum, though opted not to return for a part in Attack of the Clones after his less-than-pleasant experience on the first film.

In an interview with Empire, Stamp was merciless as he criticised George Lucas' directorial style, saying:

"I didn't rate him that much as a director, really... I didn't feel like he was a director of actors; he was more interested in stuff and effects. He didn't interest me and I wouldn't think I interested him."

Stamp was especially disappointed that he expected to be working with Natalie Portman, only to arrive on the Australian set and learn otherwise:

"On the day I'm supposed to do my scene with her, for which I'd travelled halfway around the world, I said, 'Where's Natalie?' And George says, 'That's Natalie,' and points to a bit of paper on the wall. It was just boring."

Evidently the big bucks weren't enough of a lure for the classically trained thesp to fly back to Australia and spend a few more weeks acting in front of a blue screen. Can you really blame him?