Hayden Christensen talks about how it felt to return as Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi. The latest Disney+ Star Wars show centers on Ewan McGregor as the famed Jedi Knight Kenobi. Last December, it was confirmed that Christensen would be reprising the role of Vader alongside McGregor’s Obi-Wan.
Christensen of course first played Anakin Skywalker – the Jedi later to become Darth Vader – in 2002’s Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. The Skywalker-to-Vader arc then completed in 2005’s Revenge of the Sith. When Obi-Wan Kenobi begins, the titular Kenobi is in hiding after the events of Revenge of the Sith. Vader meanwhile is now the right-hand-man of Emperor Palpatine, and would naturally love a rematch with Kenobi after their epic duel on Mustafar.
It remains to be seen if fans will indeed be treated to another lightsaber battle between Kenobi and Vader on the newest Disney+ Star Wars show. Christensen himself is of course staying mum about such major plot details. But the actor is happy to discuss how it felt to once again play Vader in the Star Wars universe. As he told EW, “Well, without getting into too much detail, it was amazing. It's a great honor to get to put that suit on." Christensen continued:
"It was mostly a lot of excitement because I had spent enough time with this character and felt like I knew him, and coming back to it felt very natural in a lot of ways. And I was just really excited to get to come in and play Darth Vader at this point in the timeline because it did feel like a natural continuation of your journey with the character. And that was very meaningful for me."
As for working with McGregor again all these years after they starred in two of the three Star Wars prequels, Christensen said it was “surreal” and a “unique opportunity” that both he and McGregor were "grateful for." He added, "But I can tell you the first time that I saw Ewan as Obi-Wan again, that was a very special moment for me and one that I'll remember for a very, very long time." The overall vibe for Christensen however is one of excitement as he also said:
“One of the things I loved so much about working on Star Wars projects is just that shared excitement. That everyone's real excited to be there. You feel that energy, and that's a really special thing.”
Many fans indeed share in Christensen’s excitement over seeing his version of Darth Vader back on screens 17 years after the release of Revenge of the Sith. However, it seems this epic return almost didn’t happen. As Kathleen Kennedy revealed in a recent interview, there was a lot of debate over whether to bring Vader back. The producer remarked on the high level of scrutiny that comes with Star Wars, and talked about the extra criticism that would naturally come with a move like bringing back Christensen as Vader.
Christensen himself must certainly be thrilled that Kennedy and company ultimately elected to ignore potential criticism and add Vader to the cast of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Of course Vader isn’t the only villain set to appear on the show, as it will also include The Grand Inquisitor of Star Wars: Rebels fame, and may still include a surprise appearance from Emperor Palpatine himself. But of course in Star Wars lore, no villain looms larger than Darth Vader, and his presence in Obi-Wan Kenobi immediately ups the stakes for Kenobi and everyone else involved. Having Christensen back in Vader’s mask is just icing on the cake for fans who love the prequels.
Source: EW
