Now that Obi-Wan Kenobi is finally out in the wild on Disney+, fans have been excited to spend time with the Jedi master once again, continuing his story some 20 years since the character was last on screen.
Set ten years after the climactic events of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi follows the titular character in his adventures between that film and Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. Of course, as we all know, Kenobi ends up getting (force) ghosted during a fight with Darth Vader, but the new series sees the pair face off again before their final battle. And what’s more, the prequel trilogy’s own Anakin Skywalker, Hayden Christensen, is reprising his role as the Sith lord.
GAMINGbible recently spoke to both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen about reuniting on set after a two decade hiatus in their Star Wars story, and it’s safe to say they relished the chance to work with one another again.
“Well it was just amazing to be acting with him again,” said McGregor. “To look across the set and see him, it felt like the last 17 years hadn’t happened, you know? It was really like a time warp or something.”
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It was a sentiment that Christensen was keen to echo. “Every time we got to do a scene together was a very emotional experience for both of us. I remember the first time I saw him on set as Obi-Wan and that was a big deal for me - that’s a visual I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
It wasn’t always peaches and cream, though. When the prequels were first released, they were slammed by fans and critics who were unhappy with the direction and execution of the story - a hit that unfortunately the actors had to bear the brunt of. Christensen himself took a long break from acting and the two have spoken openly about the pain they felt at the reception of the movies.
Time, however, can be a great healer and the popularity of Episodes I, II and III have skyrocketed in the run up to the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. “My experience on those films was always really positive and it was such an incredible experience,” said Christensen when asked about the reception of his character at the time. “I was 19 when we started and it was just a great adventure for me. Getting to come back and return to the Star Wars galaxy has been huge.”
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Thankfully, it seems like the actors had a fantastic time making the films and have loved being back together. “I’ve always loved Hayden and we had a great time working together on the prequels,” said McGregor. “We were away in Australia when we made those films, we made Episode II and Episode III in Sydney. We spent a lot of time training together, in the fight gym together, on set together and off set together. We were close but over the years we lost touch with each other a little bit, and it’s just been lovely to see him again and get to work with him again. It's a great treat.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi is streaming on Disney+ with new episodes dropping weekly on Wednesdays.
Featured Image Credit: GAMINGbibleTopics: Star Wars, Disney, TV And Film