Hayden Christensen Didn't Hesitate To Return As Darth Vader For Obi-Wan Kenobi And Ahsoka
Trying to have a nuanced conversation about George Lucas' "Star Wars" prequels is a little like attempting to thread the Stone Needle in Beggar's Canyon on Tatooine. Thanks to the toxic fan discourse that sprung up around them, it's difficult to discuss these movies without wondering how much of your reaction is being colored by their rather complicated legacy — both the good and the bad.
Take Hayden Christensen. At first, critics weren't exactly wowed by his turn as the man who would become Darth Vader, Anakin Skywalker, in his moody young adult years. Then again, they weren't exactly wowed by any of the acting in Lucas' prequels. Roger Ebert, reviewing "Attack of the Clones" in 2002, wrote that the film's leads — Anakin, Padmé (Natalie Portman), and Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor) — "seem so strangely stiff and formal in their speech that an unwary viewer might be excused for thinking they were the clones, soon to be exposed." Recall that McGregor and Portman were already well-respected among critics by then, so it's not as though Ebert was doubting their ability to act well, given the right material.
Christensen, on the other hand, had only barely started making a name for himself when "Clones" came out. Although he would go on to earn loads of critical accolades for arguably his career-best turn in 2003's "Shattered Glass," the specter of his scorned performance in the "Star Wars" prequels continued to hang heavily over his head, well after the final installment, "Revenge of the Sith," was released in 2005. However, much like his co-star Ahmed Best and the prequels at large, Christensen's work in a galaxy far, far away would eventually come to be viewed in a more favorable light. This culminated in his return to the franchise, which the actor said he wasn't remotely hesitant about.
'These characters really do belong to everybody'
When George Lucas made his prequel films, he seemed less interested in paying homage to the early 20th-century sci-fi serials as he did with "Star Wars: A New Hope," and more invested in recapturing their ethos, but with then-modern computer-generated effects. Yet, just as Gus Van Sant demonstrated the art of the past cannot be separated from its context with his shot-for-shot "Psycho" remake, what Lucas really proved was just how much space operas and galactic adventures have changed and evolved — along with audience expectations — over the years, thanks to his original "Star Wars" trilogy.
During an interview with The Guardian in May 2022, Hayden Christensen reasoned "Star Wars" fans feeling a sense of "ownership" was also a factor in how the prequels were received, specifically where it concerned the more toxic criticisms of his performance in the films. He explained:
"I think it just goes back to the sort of ownership that people feel towards these characters. It's almost like public domain. These characters really do belong to everybody."
"I guess the impression that I got from George Lucas was that if they don't like them, then they don't 'get' it — and that was good enough for me," the actor added. Lucas, in his own words, has said he knew he could never meet fan expectations with the "Star Wars" prequels, so he tried to make the films he wanted to see instead. For some (this writer included), the resulting movies were curiously hollow, yet politically intrepid and full of potential that would be properly realized with later "Star Wars" projects, making it easier to appreciate them in retrospect. For others, the prequels even acted as their gateway to enjoying "Star Wars" as a whole, profoundly flawed they may be.
Back in black
As much as I admire the terrific "Star Wars" storytelling that would build upon the foundation laid down by the prequel trilogy (especially animated shows like "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Tales of the Jedi"), I don't think I'll ever be completely onboard the "The 'Star Wars' Prequels Are Great, Actually" train. But just as I'm willing to ardently defend Ahmed Best's contributions to cinema and cheer on his return to "Star Wars" without loving Jar Jar Binks, I can wholeheartedly applaud Christensen for diving back into the franchise head-first after being maligned by toxic fans ... while remaining skeptical he's actually been an amazing actor this entire time. It had to be said!
Again, though, I certainly don't hold anything against Christensen for donning the black suit to play Darth Vader once more, first in the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" series (where Anakin/Vader showed up in the flesh) and up next with the "Ahsoka" spinoff show (where Anakin/Vader is expected to appear in flashbacks or non-corporeal form, if not both). "It just seemed like a really exciting opportunity. It was a no-brainer. In a heartbeat. When I got the call, I was instantly elated [...] I was just so excited to get to come back after all these years," he explained.
It's not that Christensen is unaware he's opening himself up to criticism once again, either, be it toxic in nature or based on legitimate, valid critiques of his craft. "I mean, it's all on the table, but you know, that doesn't get factored into these types of decisions for me," he added.
"Ahsoka" is slated to premiere on Disney+ at some point in 2023.