JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Obi-Wan Kenobi EXCLUSIVE: Hayden Christensen on what made him return as Star Wars' iconic villain Darth Vader
During Obi-Wan Kenobi's press junket, which Pinkvilla attended, Hayden Christensen revealed what convinced him to reprise the role of Darth Vader aka Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars' iconic villain.
In what will be a unanimously approved statement; there will never be a more iconic villain than Darth Vader, period. Moreover, a series based on Obi-Wan Kenobi would be incomplete without the addition of Darth Vader aka Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan's former Jedi Padawan and best friend. With James Earl Jones' legendary voice, Hayden Christensen was tasked with bringing to life the ferocious Sith Lord's evolution through Anakin's heartbreaking descent to the dark side.
While Star Wars fans stay divided over their feelings for the prequels - Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith - Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen continue to be fan favourites. So much so, that when it was finally revealed that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader's story would continue through Obi-Wan Kenobi, a six-episode Disney+ miniseries, there was an instant social media meltdown and deservedly so! However, when you play such an iconic character that becomes a defining aspect of your entire career, you tend to eventually shy away from taking on the mantle one more time, sometimes even having said goodbye for good. So, what was it that convinced the low-key Hayden Christensen to reprise the role of the famed antagonist?
This [Darth Vader] is one that I had spent a lot of time with, in my late teens and early 20s. And in a role that I care deeply about and one that has come to define my life in many different ways.
Hayden Christensen
Back in March, Pinkvilla was a part of Obi-Wan Kenobi's press junket and interacted with Hayden Christensen in a roundtable interview. This was after the exciting trailer for the miniseries dropped and gave the teas-iest of teases with Darth Vader's ominous breathing. We posed the above question to the 41-year-old actor on what made him come back to Darth Vader's firm roots. For Hayden, the answer was pretty simple: "Well, one, because it's Star Wars. And... I was just thrilled to get to come back and play in this world again."
Explaining his stance further, Christensen added, "And obviously, because of my history with this character. This is one that I had spent a lot of time with, in my late teens and early 20s. And in a role that I care deeply about and one that has come to define my life in many different ways. So, just the notion of getting to come back and do more with him and further inform the character arc of Darth Vader was just a really exciting opportunity."
Given how Team Obi-Wan Kenobi has teased Obi-Wan Kenobi vs. Darth Vader in the series as the "rematch of the century," we can expect nothing short of awesomeness as two beloved stars make their long-overdue Star Wars comeback! They've finally come home!
How excited are you to see Hayden Christensen reprise his role as Darth Vader aka Anakin Skywalker in Obi-Wan Kenobi? Share your excitement with Pinkvilla in the comments section below.
Meanwhile, Obi-Wan Kenobi will premiere on Disney+Hotstar on May 27.
Latest Articles
