Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen talked to William Mullally of Esquire Magazine about their return to Star Wars with the Disney+ live-action series Obi-Wan Kenobi, and we have the video!
The series reunites McGregor and Christensen after more than 17 years, having worked together last for 2005’s Revenge of the Sith. Obi-Wan Kenobi is set ten years after Episode III, and finds Obi-Wan being hunted by Darth Vader’s Inquisitors.
McGregor discussed where the character of Obi-Wan is in his life as the series opens, as opposed to where he was in the Prequel Trilogy. He talks about taking the character from eager and hopeful Jedi to the hermit we see in the series and in Episode 4: A New Hope. He also cites Alec Guinness as his inspiration for the new series. “It all came from Alec Guinness,” he said. “I always think of him when I think of Obi-Wan.”
Hayden Christensen says no one, including himself, expected to see him reprise the role as the Dark Lord of the Sith. When he got the call about the possibility, he admits he didn’t hesitate. “It meant a great deal to me,” Christensen says of returning as Vader. “This is a character that has defined my life in so many ways. Getting to continue my journey with him is very meaningful.”
Christensen also addressed the new respect the Prequel Trilogy, and his performance, has received from younger fans discovering the films. After years of fan criticism, it seems his work has earned a new appreciation. “It’s really heartwarming,” he says of his new fans. “I can’t tell you what it means to me. It’s a really neat thing. I guess the moral of the story is patience.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres May 27 on Disney+ with two episodes, with one new episode each week following that throughout June.
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