Hayden Christensen’s performance as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader was once the internet’s favorite joke, however his past work has since gained more appreciation from fans. Though he only suited up as the iconically-voiced Darth Vader at the end of Revenge of the Sith, the actor enjoyed his time playing a younger Anakin in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith enough to return to The Dark Side for Disney+’s upcoming prequel series Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Hayden Christensen On Wearing The Darth Vader Suit Once Again
In a recent interview, Hayden Christensen revealed his feelings about donning the suit once again:
“It was surreal. It’s an incredible costume and putting it back on again brought up a lot of emotions for me. It’s amazing to get to wear it and an honour to put it on. It’s just a lot of fun really,…. It’s incredibly heavy. It’s a beast to wear and not designed for bathroom breaks. It comes with the job!”
Star Wars at its best is about fun escapist fantasy. While some cinematic entries and the dozens of in-universe novels may take it a bit more seriously, at the end of the day it should be fun for the actors stepping into the Galaxy Far Far Away.
In another interview, Hayden Christensen stated:
“That costume comes with such a presence. You put it on and it informs so much of the way you feel. For me, it was very cathartic in a way too. This is a character that’s meant a lot to me and stays with me over the years so getting to come back and continue was an emotional experience.”
Darth Vader’s costume is the very definition of iconic, and with James Earl Jones’ ever-imposing vocals behind it as well as body movements performed by David Prowse, the image and presence of Vader would forever be etched into people’s minds as one of the great cinematic bad guys.
When Hayden Christensen appeared in Attack of the Clones back in 2002, he was a rising star with the weight of huge fan expectations on his shoulders as well as hope that the film would be an improvement over The Phantom Menace (which has also received more appreciation in recent years). However, what Christensen received upon Clones’ release were widespread criticisms of his performance and characterization (the latter of which he couldn’t have helped) and would be dogged on for years to come (excluding his well-received performance the biopic Shattered Glass).
Following the sci-fi action film Jumper in 2008, Christensen left the major Hollywood scene and began appearing in more direct-to-DVD fare. However, as the years have gone by and the fans who saw the Star Wars prequels as kids, grew into adults more appreciative of Christensen’s take on the character. Today the actor has embraced the fandom and his part in it alongside Ewan McGregor, who will lead Obi-Wan Kenobi.
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It’s good to see Christensen enjoy his part in the Star Wars legacy and his desire to continue it, having watched The Clone Wars CG show and Rebels in preparation for his role on Obi-Wan Kenobi, however large or small it may be. While we’re still unsure as to how much screentime Hayden Christensen will receive in Obi-Wan Kenobi, we can rest assured he’ll be smiling underneath that dark, imposing helmet while overtaking the Galaxy.
Obi-Wan Kenobi drops on Disney+ May 27, 2022. What are your thoughts on Hayden Christensen returning as Darth Vader? Did you see the Prequels as a kid or an adult? Are you excited for Obi-Wan Kenobi and the other upcoming spin-offs? What’s your favorite spaceship in Star Wars cannon? Let us know in the comments on our Twitter, and may the Force Be With You All.
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Source: CBM
