Hayden Christensen Reflects On How ‘Star Wars’ Changed His Life
Long before making his debut as Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Hayden Christensen loved Star Wars.
From the time he was a young boy, the actor had an attachment to Darth Vader, a character he would eventually inhibit himself.
Photo: Lucasfilm
“I remember being a kid, before I had seen the films, having a connection to this character, just being very taken with the physical presence and the voice. I remember scaring my little sister just trying to imitate the Darth Vader voice, and it worked. So there’s something about the construct of that character that just is very effective,” he recalls.
In a recent interview with Endor star Diego Luna, Christensen reflected back on how Star Wars changed his life, the parallels between the two actors’ journeys, and why it was so easy for him to return to the role of Anakin Skywalker.
Photo: Variety
The Beginning Of A Lifelong Journey
For Christensen, his Star Wars journey began when he was 19 years old and he auditioned to George Lucas for the role of Anakin Skywalker. It turns out, he never thought he would get the part.
Photo: Lucasfilm
“I loved Star Wars, and when the audition came around, it was exciting, but it felt just unattainable. I remember meeting George Lucas for the first time and that was thrilling. And then auditioning with Natalie Portman. It was a very long process, but the entire time, I never really thought that it would ever go my way, so I was just enjoying it. Then when I got the phone call to play the part, it was a life-changing thing.”
Anakin Skywalker Returns
Seventeen years after portraying Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, Christensen got a chance to return to the role for 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. As it turns out, the decision to return was an easy one for him.
“Just the nature of getting the invitation. Star Wars holds a very special place in my heart. I enjoyed getting to go back to being a fan again and just watching these stories like everyone else. But there was a part of me that missed it, too. So when I got the call, it was a very easy decision. And the fact that it was the Obi-Wan show with Ewan McGregor, who is a good friend of mine, and that I’d get to swing a lightsaber with him again, it was a thrilling invitation. The director, Deborah Chow, is so articulate about what “Star Wars” is. She understands these characters so well. So I just felt like I was in good hands with her, and I was excited to get to do more with the character.”
How Star Wars Changed Christensen’s Life
In the end, despite the ups and downs, Christensen is grateful for the opportunities that Star Wars afforded him. In a lot of ways, he says, Star Wars gave him the life he lives today.
Photo: The Guardian
“I mean, it would be easier to count the ways that it didn’t affect my life. It gave me an acting career. It gave me financial stability, which as a creative person is something that you can struggle with. After I finished “Star Wars,” there was still a desire for me to go back to smaller, more independent filmmaking and just try to cut my teeth as an actor. Because I was still learning a lot. I just tried to not think about navigating a career as much as I was just trying to do work that appealed to me, and play characters that I thought would challenge me, and help me grow as an actor. That was a great freedom,” he continued.
Photo: The Hollywood Reporter
“But what Star Wars has really given me is a connection to all the people that love these stories. That’s such a special thing that you can’t fully appreciate unless you’re a part of something like that. I mean, I meet people now and it makes me feel a little bit old, but they’ll say to me, ‘Anakin was my hero when I was a kid, and now my kid loves Anakin.’ It’s this generational thing that gets passed down — and that’s really special.”
As a Star Wars fan, I think it is safe to say that the franchise owes Christensen a lot too. Star Wars is better with Hayden Christensen in it.
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