Hayden Christensen Reveals Why George Lucas Made Him Uncomfortable for His Original Appearance as Darth Vader

Summary

• Hayden Christensen’s original appearance as Darth Vader was not the most comfortable for the actor.
• His portrayal of Anakin in different phases has left fans wanting more, eager to see where the character could go next.
• Despite uncertainty, many hope for Christensen’s continued role in
  Star Wars,
  as his journey mirrors Vader’s fall and redemption.

Hayden Christensen had not spend much time in the costume of Darth Vader before his recent return to the Star Wars franchise in Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka. However, short his time as Vader in 2005’s Revenge of the Sith was, it could have originally been shorter, as George Lucas had not planned for the actor to get into the costume of one of cinema’s greatest villains. Reflecting on getting to put on the guise of Vader, Christensen opened up to GQ about what it felt like to wear one of the most instantly recognizable costumes ever put on screen.

Hayden Christensen debuted as Anakin Skywalker in Attack of the Clones three years prior to becoming his Sith alterego, and his first time out in the role was not well received. However, his subsequent appearance in Revenge of the Sith fared a little better, and by the time he returned in Obi-Wan Kenobi 20 years later, his place in Star Wars history had been evaluated in a whole new way. Becoming Vader in the final scenes of Revenge of the Sith, according to the actor, was not the most comfortable experience, and that was just how George Lucas wanted it. Christensen said:

“I found out that they were not planning having me be in the Darth Vader suit, and I was a little bummed about that. So I spoke to George Lucas and I asked him, and he was kind enough to oblige. I think there’s something nice about knowing that it’s the actor in the costume as well, but it was really just for my benefit. It was a challenging suit to move around, and I told George, I was like, ‘Look, I don’t know that I can move as well as I thought I’d be able to.’ And he was like, ‘It’s okay, it’s supposed to be your first time in the suit, so if it’s a little rigid and awkward, he was like, that’s a good thing, actually.’”

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVgPoWoOoLY

When the helmet goes on, and you’re just totally enclosed in this costume, it was a remarkable experience, just because you could see people’s reaction to seeing Vader for the first time. People who were usually very assertive became a little more timid, and they’d kind of like not wanna make eye contact with you. I had good fun with that.

Hayden Christensen is Cautious About Returning as Anakin Skywalker

Despite the outpouring of love Christensen received for his belated return as Anakin Skywalker in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his Force ghost appearance in Ahsoka, the actor is not certain whether he will return to play the role again.

Christensen has been able to expand his characterization of Anakin through his recent appearances, with a darker, angry persona being in play as he took on Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi on the way to being at the height of his power, and a gentler, Jedi Anakin appearing to Ahsoka Tano in the World Between Worlds. Where else he could take the character of Anakin or Vader is unclear, although there are still many fans who have called for Christensen to be given his own series as Vader.

Whether he turns or not, Christensen has been on quite a journey playing the dual role of Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader, and the fall and redemption of his character almost stands as a mirror to his own experience as an actor within the Star Wars franchise. If that journey does continue, it seems his return could be one of the few things guaranteed to strike a chord with the majority of the Star Wars fandom.

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