Hayden Christensen used to get a lot of crap for his performance as Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels. I think he did his best with the material that he was given. Anakin comes off as a whiny, petulant brat a lot of the time and some of the dialogue that George Lucas wrote for him has become a punchline in the fandom. Whenever the occasion calls for it, Mr. Rosie and I actually still put on our best whiny voices and joke, “It’s all Obi Wan’s fault! He’s holding me back!”
But, time has a way of changing our perspective and lending fondness that wasn’t there before. Unlike when Lucas digitally replaced Sebastian Shaw with Christensen at the end of Return of the Jedi, people were excited when Hayden Christensen popped up as Anakin/Darth Vader in “Obi Wan.” I think the character in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”’ being drawn to look like Christensen’s Anakin went a long way in conditioning viewers to finally accept him in the role, even though he did not voice the animated version. So when Christensen popped up to challenge Ahsoka in the World Between Worlds in episodes 4 and 5 of “Ahsoka,” fans were beyond ecstatic. Turns out, Christensen is also happy to be back in the Jedi robes.
Disney is sharing a behind-the-scenes look at Christensen’s return. In a featurette recorded before the start of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Ahsoka series creator Dave Filoni explains why he wanted to resurrect the man who would become Darth Vader for a climactic conversation between Master and Padawan.
“You know, as I was figuring out the story for Ahsoka, I just really thought, ‘Well, there’s an opportunity,'” Filoni says in the video. “‘I could bring Anakin and Ahsoka together.’ It’s just awesome.”
Off screen, Christensen and Dawson have a long history: Not only did they star together in 2003’s Shattered Glass, but Dawson explains that they’ve known each other for decades, bringing real-life emotion to their onscreen reunion. (The pair can be seen rehearsing and filming their big lightsaber battle, high-fiving afterward.)
“I met Hayden when I was 16,” Dawson says. “We were in an acting school together over a summer. To have that kind of history with him, it really was like seeing my old friend.”
Ahsoka isn’t Christensen’s first time revisiting Anakin: The actor reunited with his prequel costar Ewan McGregor in last year’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, playing Vader and also appearing in a flashback as a younger Anakin. But Ahsoka might be his meatiest Star Wars role since 2005’s Revenge of the Sith, following Anakin as he teaches his former Padawan one last lesson in the ethereal Force dimension known as the World Between Worlds.
“Putting on the Anakin costume, getting to wear those Jedi robes, it kind of blows your mind every time,” Christensen says. “I just feel very grateful.”
Like I said above, for most viewers, I think “Clone Wars” saved the character of Anakin after the dismal treatment he was given in the prequels. I’ve seen Christensen in other movies, like his performance in Life As a House, and thought the blowback on his stiff acting wasn’t entirely fair. It’s not like Natalie Portman turned in her best work, either. I’m glad the character was redeemed and that Hayden was game to come back to a fandom that didn’t receive him well 20 years ago. I’m almost as happy he returned as I was to see Ahmed Best (voice of Jar Jar Binks) finally get his redemption and due in “The Mandalorian” last season. That dude had it even worse than HC did.
photos credit: Backgrid, JW/Bang Showbiz/Avalon, Getty and via Instagram
Hayden is the sweetest guy on the planet, and his interviews talking off-the-cuff with Ewan McGregor are just so soft and good.
His acting chops are in how unlikeable Anakin is when Hayden is just so lovely, lol.
I’m glad to hear that. I had a lot of sympathy for him after the backlash he received. He was quite young at the time. I only know that he’s been very quiet for a years, and enjoyed pig farming. I got the impression that he’s very down to earth.
Fandoms are hardcore and I feel bad for the way he was treated. Also he’s aging quite nicely imo.
He’s damn HOTTT in my book. How did I miss him all these years??!!!
Because he’s getting better with age. I’ve never seen him in anything else, and you’d be hard pressed to find his character in the prequels attractive. I love me a super villain, but not like that. ITA he has potential now, though.
I looooved Life as a House
Life as a House is a phenomenal underrated movie. Hayden was awesome in it. I know of at least three people’s lives who changed for the better after watching that movie. I personally don’t care about Star Wars stuff (except the early days lol).
Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, Scott Bakula, Mary Steenburgen and HC stood out. The rest were great too. Excellent movie.
For whatever reason, it is painful to watch him in the starwars movies.
He can be a nice guy and a great actor – but sadly that was not the role for him. The criticism must have been painful for him to endure.
Anakin’s story was always such a weak link in the story. Hayden didn’t have much to work with but he was also not great in the role imo. He had no connection at all to Natalie Portman, and for her part she was pretty unwatchable. They are just terrible, undeveloped roles and I guess neither got the direction they needed to bring those characters to life.
Ha ha I thought I was the only one who thought NP was terrible in Star Wars. And there was no chemistry between the two. I do like Hayden tho.
the prequels are probably some of NP’s worst work, IMO. I love Star Wars, so much, but those prequels are just bad.
Was HC good in the movies? Eh, not really. But the writing was also bad and stilted. There is zero chemistry between HC and NP, like how am I supposed to believe that they have this great love between them that makes him risk everything he’s trained for?
The plots are bad (literally, the plot of Phantom Menace is “we need to repair our ship but we have no money so we need this child to win a race so we can bet on him and win and then repair our ship.”)
anyway so he was awful in the prequels but I don’t think it was his fault entirely. The writing was bad, the chemistry was bad, the plot just hit you over the head with “hate leads to the dark side,” there was no nuance or subtlety, etc. He did what he could with those movies, lol. And he does seem like a nice guy who is enjoying the role again, so good for him.
Does NP ever have chemistry with her male co-stars?
She was so over sexualized as a young girl that she seems to have just turned off that part of herself, at least on the silver screen.
Both her and Hayden were severely crippled by the bad dialogue and horrid plot too. I don’t blame either tbh, the responsibility rests with Lucas.
They’re awful movies that tried to steal the magic of my childhood and milk the nostalgia dollars. Fortunately they’ve been redeemed by decent sequels, spin offs, and a few really solid Disney+ series. Hayden Christensen is as welcome to bask in the Disney glow and embrace redemption as anyone in the verse.
Lol accurate summary.
The prequels and Rise of Skywalkers sequels were downright abysmal. But I’m glad Hayden got an enthusiastic reception when he returned in the role and a chance to redeem the character. I blame the studios, writers, directors, and producers for the lame material, plot, character development, and overall arc. The actors did what they could — and because Star Wars is such a HUGE iconic series, the actors were also limited in their choices in how to portray their characters. IMO, the last 3 movies featuring Ridley, Boyega, and Isaac were worst than the prequels.
I totally agree!! I loved the spin-offs more. Clone Wars and Rebels were top-notch. And new spin-offs are awesome! The Mandalorian, Ahsoka and Andor are my favourites. But Bad Batch, Obi-Wan and Boba Fett were great too!
The movie prequels and sequels have so many flaws.
I’m grateful for Dave Filoni!
My kids (9&6 ) have been really loving Ashoka. We have been watching as a family and my son 9, loves knowing the characters from Rebels. I honestly think its a great show!
He’ was SO good in Ahsoka. It make me wish we had more live action of his relationship with Ahsoka. The flat out truth is that Lucas doesn’t know how to write or direct actors. And it shows when those actors are given better material and a better director.
Absolutely! Harrison Ford who loves Lucas said he can’t write, I agree. Love seeing Hayden!
Totally agree with your comment about Lucas. The Clone Wars animated Dave Filoni series really fleshed out these characters and their roles with each other, especially with Anakin, Obi Wan, and DF’s creation – Ahsoka. It’s really thrilling as a fan to then watch him further develop the relationships through Rebels, Obi Wan, The Mandalorian, and now, Ahsoka. This is what Lucas teased but was unable to deliver. For Hayden, it warms my heart to see the fandom embrace him more thoroughly now that there is better context to his portrayal of the character. (AND MAJOR PROPS TO MATT LANTER for voicing and further developing Anakin/Vader during the animations! He and DF developed a more solid foundation for Hayden to build on compared to the mess from Lucas’s prequel trilogy)
I just want to say that I’m glad he’s back.
Am only half way through Ahsoka but I loved him in Obi Wan Kenobi – he and Ewan were always a good pairing, even with the sh!t material they had to work with.
And yeah, he’s aging well and I would love to see a web series telling the story of Anakin either during the clone wars or some of his Darth Vader exploits (esp with Thrawn – some of the expanded universe books were great). Vader needs his own series – Disney gods, make it happen!!!!
@Digital Unicorn – my husband and son are reading the Thrawn books together now. I’ve herd some great things about the Zahn books that I may read them up after they are done.
Is it the Ascendancy ones? I loved them – was great to read about other peoples and worlds and the Chiss have always been interesting. There are earlier books that he wrote about Thrawn and the New Republic/Skywalkers but I have yet to read them – they are on my list.
The Legends Trilogy. They’re in the middle of Heir to the Empire now.
Haven’t read those ones – Timothy Zahn is a great author and his SW novels are some of my faves.
His books come so highly recommended. At some point, I do want to read the Ascendancy ones. I feel like I have so many things on my reading list right now lol
I am a HUGE Clone Wars fan and I am loving the Ahsoka series. Rosario Dawson is doing a fabulous job playing the wonderful Ahsoka, a character us Clone Wars fans care about very deeply. Seeing Anakin (Ahsoka was his padawan during the Clone Wars) in the last episode actually made me emotional. Getting to see Ahsoka and Anakin interact in live action made me tear up. The show is Star Wars at its best and I highly recommend it (although I would recommend watching a quick YouTube video about Star Wars: Rebels, so you have a better understanding of what’s going on, because Ahsoka picks up and doesn’t do much in the way of explaining the backstory–at least not right away). I also love the attention Dave Filoni is giving to the myriad of incredible, compelling women Star Wars characters like Mon Mothma, Ahsoka, Hera Syndulla, Bo-Katan Kryze, and Sabine Wren who are so often left to fall by the wayside because they’re not Luke or the Mandalorian.
Two thumbs up all around!
I read that Hayden watched the Clone Wars to study Matt Lanter’s delivery and the animated mannerisms. I love that so much. He nailed it. I didn’t like the prequels until I watched The Clone Wars during lockdown. I also ended up loving Padme after watching them. I wish we got more of those versions of them rather than what Lucas did. Oh well.
OMG last night’s episode! I loved the snide comments to Sabine regarding her actions. #nospoilers
First and foremost, I’m a big fan of the Mandalorian, but I’m enjoying Ahsoka so much as well.
Hayden gave a truly great performance in Ahsoka episode 5. He combined prequel and The Clone Wars Anakin with voice modulation, and expressions to portray the charismatic, headstrong, and resourceful Anakin that he needs to be to make his caring for a Padawan believable and his downfall tragic.
George Lucas’ strength was having great ideas and visions, not writing dialogue (even worse romantic dialogue) and directing.
I couldn’t be happier for Hayden I hope we’ll see him again.
Disney can’t do anything truly original anymore. They just bring back the same characters, even if they died. And for Star Wars, even if they manage to come up with an original al character, it all has to occur during the same si gle life span that all their stories take place in, so that they can meet and interact with existing characters. It makes Star Wars small, boring, and tiresome.
And it’s not just Disney. Studios would rather redeem past mistakes than come up with something new (Sorry they killed off Boba Fett? We’ll bring him back! Didn’t like Justice League? We’ll release a different cut! Didn’t like Suicide Squad? We’ll soft re-boot it!)
I always stick up for the kid anakin. People were so cruel to him and no one protected him. He had some mental health issues later in life and I wonder did having adults bully him contribute to that.
I didn’t care for Natalie Portman in the movie at all. Jar jar didn’t have good dialog. Lucas just wanted to sell toys.
I understood what George Lucas was going for in the prequels. This new star wars Fandom aren’t real star wars fans. They are pop culture fans. I wasn’t really a fan of the original star wars but i understood it. At the end of the day Star Wars is about trade disputes and ninja training. Two boring topics anyway. People went to these movies expecting running and endless catchphrases.
Natalie Portman has spoken about how she had trouble getting work after Star Wars because everyone assumed she couldn’t act, because she came across so woodenly.
So I’m quite willing to believe Hayden Christensen also got burned by a bad role, bad script, and bad direction.
George Lucas is good at some things and not good at other things. Ahem.
Yep, thought he was great in Life as a House. Most actors need to pick the right roles; not everyone is Meryl Streep or Daniel Day Lewis.
Anakin is a hard one to pull off probably. He’s not quite Darth Vader. Plus the trite George Lucas script and just NO! Corny and unintentionally hilarious.