There’s a single look that’s been on Hayden Christensen’s face since he landed in the UAE for Middle East Film & Comic Con 2023 in Abu Dhabi, one of gratitude. After all, in every day life, it’s easy to forget how much great work can affect people’s lives. At a place like this, it’s all you can think about, as people young and old look him in the eye and tell him about the ways that his work has inspired him, particularly his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise. For some, it even saved their lives.
“These are the best fans in the world. I love them,” he tells me on stage.
Christensen has been feeling that love more and more over the years, as his Star Wars films, Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005), continue to rise in stature, and since he made his triumphant return to the character in 2022’s sequel series Obi-Wan Kenobi.
While we could not speak about any potential future the character has in future Star Wars projects, Christensen and I sat down at MEFCC to discuss his 23 years with the character, including the unforgettable final day of filming Obi-Wan Kenobi.
He did, however, say that he wants to continue on with this character long into the future.
“I hope to see you in that suit for many years to come,” I said to him on stage.
” I’d love to get the opportunity to! I love it, and I’d love to do more with it,” Christensen said.
Read our full conversation below.
In conversation with Hayden Christensen at MEFCC
What was your relationship with Star Wars like growing up?
Hayden Christensen: I’ve been a fan since I was a kid. I have an older brother who was eight and a half years my elder, and he was the perfect age when the original trilogy came out. He was a die hard fan. As a kid, we had all of the action figures and toys all around the house. He had Star Wars bed sheets on his bed. And so I was surrounded by Star Wars even before I’d seen the film.
It wasn’t until I was maybe 12 or 13 years old when I first watched the original trilogy and I was blown away—transported to this other galaxy.
Darth Vader made quite an impression on me. I can remember as a little kid imitating Darth Vader trying to scare my little sister.
Did you do the voice?
Hayden Christensen: I tried my best.
How did that understanding of the character change when you had to embody it yourself?
Hayden Christensen: When I was auditioning for Anakin, there never seemed a possibility I would get this role. It seemed too big. It’s all very secretive so I can’t tell you too much, but a million guys were reading for Anakin, and the brief was, how does a guy go from good to evil. As an actor, that was a compelling thing to try to portray, even outside of the Star Wars of it all. From a human aspect, how does someone go to the Dark Side? It was such an insane opportunity. The conversations with George Lucas about how to play this character always went back to the most human, basic level of what happens to someone when they’re misled and manipulated and, by no fault of their own, go down this dark path.
I’ve always been very sympathetic to Anakin, and I think as I’ve gotten older, I’m even more sympathetic to the Darth Vader character. For me, Anakin is Darth Vader and Darth Vader is Anakin.
How much did your own relationship with Ewan back then mirror the relationship between your characters?
Hayden Christensen: Ewan is someone who’s very dear to me. I remember the very first time I met him, I walked in and saw Ewan there and he gave me a big hug, and the way he welcomed me into the Star Wars family was very meaningful to me. I looked up to him a great deal, too. He was one of our great actors, and I was so taken with what he could do as an actor, and the way he treated everyone around him, I really did admire him. Our relationship really did mirror the relationship between Anakin and Obi Wan. Anakin does really look up to Obi Wan. Even though the relationship si someone strained in Episode III, Anakin does see Obi Wan as the greatest Jedi. In his eyes, he’s as powerful as Mace Windu. I really think it’s a beautiful relationship that they have in these movies, and the way it develops in Episode III is heartbreaking.
I do think it needs to be said that, rewatching your behind the scenes rehearsals of your stunts, you’re the best to ever hold a lightsaber.
Hayden Christensen: I had so much fun doing all the lightsaber work. We went out for months before filming just to go to lightsaber training camp, and it was a lot of fun. I’m very proud of the work that we did and the last fight, Ewan and I trained months to get to the place that we did. Someone asked me recently if that fight was sped up, and no, that’s what we were really doing.
You’re an underrated action star, honestly.
Hayden Christensen: Thank you, man. That was something I took really seriously. I had some background in sports, I played a lot of sports growing up, so I was very happy getting to apply that to this series.
The ‘killing younglings’ scene in Episode III is still so haunting. How did you get yourself there, mentally?
Hayden Christensen: I don’t think we could get into the depths of what was going on in my head, but the character goes to a dark place, and I went there. I had to say I kind of enjoyed it, but it was a dark place to inhabit for a couple months.
In Episode III, there’s a lot going on, and Anakin is a very conflicted character. He starts to have visions of Padme passing away in childbirth, and he doesn’t know what to do with it. He goes to Yoda and confesses, says can you help me and Yoda basically says ‘suck it up kid, there’s nothing you can really do’. There’s a lot of things that Anakin is grappling with, and that was a fun dark place to inhabit.
Ewan and you were obviously able to have a reunion, but the relationship with Padme is not something we’ve been able to reexplore. Could you me about your relationship with Natalie, as well?
Hayden Christensen: We went on a great adventure. We got to go to Italy, Lake Como, and we went to Seville. I remember when we went to Seville, that was when I first got my taste of the madness surrounded by Star Wars. We were told that the local newspaper wrote an article about it and told people we were coming, so thousands of fans showed up to the set. They had to bring in a military guard and set up barricades for separation. Every time Natalie would walk by, fans would erupt and cheer her name—‘Natalie! Natale!’ I was in awe of that relationship she had with the fans, and we had a wonderful time together. She’s such an amazing actress, and I felt privileged to get to work with her—there’s not enough nice things to say to her.
Did you look up to her in some ways too?
Hayden Christensen: Natalie and Ewan and Sam Jackson—I learned so much from all of them not just in the work but in how they embraced the fanbase. They’re the reason we get to do this, and that’s not lost on me. That’s a big reason I come to conventions, because I want to connect with people.
What were the emotions when you finally put on the Darth Vader suit on the set of Obi Wan Kenobi?
Hayden Christensen: It was hard to put into words. It was a really special thing. When we did Episode III, I got to wear the suit, but it was such a simple thing, but it represented closure for me. That was a sign that my journey with the character was complete. Cut to almost 20 years later, and putting on the suit was an incredibly meaningful thing.
The way that the fans have come to embrace my work and coming back to the role and putting that suit on again, and getting to work on that series was huge to me. I’m indebted to Deborah Chow and to Ewan and everyone that made that happen, and getting to do that scene with Ewan at the end where he cracks the mask and we have that last confrontation—that was one of the more incredible experiences I’ve had an actor.
Walk me through it. What was it like to film that final scene between the two of you?
Hayden Christensen: Everything was just different. I remember Ewan got to set before me. I was already suited up and he sent me a text message and I looked at it, and he said ‘I’m on set, and it feels like a church.’ I didn’t quite know what he meant. I got to set, and there were some people there, and everyone was waiting in anticipation of something they had a lot of reverence for. I’m on set with Ewan, and we’re talking, discussing the scene a little bit, and I turn around and the entire crew all of a sudden was there, silent, just waiting. Hundreds of people.
Deborah Chow came over and asked if we wanted to get started. Everything was heightened, and knew we were doing something that was really important. It all just kind of worked, you know? The drama gods were looking out for us that day. We did the scene a few times, it was feeling really good, and everything was just coming together the way we wanted to. It doesn’t always happen that way.
The lighting in that scene was brilliant. It’s so darkly lit and so much of the light is coming from the lightsabers themselves. Ewan and I were lighting each other with our lightsabers. In one part of the scene, I approach him, and the way the lighting is painting our faces—Deborah came over and said we needed to repeat that moment because the lighting was perfect. All these things were coming into place. It didn’t take us long to do it—we got it in the beginning, and that was one of those special days.
How did you feel when you went home that night?
Hayden Christensen: It was a really emotional time for me. I knew we’d done something special, I thought. I just felt very grateful, you know? I messaged Ewan afterwards, and I thanked him, told him I thought the scene felt good, and he messaged that he was very happy with it. When we finally got to see that scene, we were so happy. The way we edited it, the way our voices fluctuated was really perfect, so hats off to Deborah.
Are you guys keeping in touch now?
Hayden Christensen: Yeah. That’s the thing I’m happiest about. I love Ewan, but we hadn’t seen each other in many years, and to get to reconnect and now keep in touch regularly, and I’ll get to see him at Star Wars Celebration in a month. Yeah, we’re connected again. It’s good.
It’s amazing that Star Wars is in the hands of people who have a deep love for the work that you did—Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau love those movies and love that world. Have you felt that love from them?
Hayden Christensen: Everyone from Lucasfilm has been extremely supportive. I’ve felt the love from everyone involved. I think the franchise is in good hands right now, and what Jon Favreau and Dave Filoni are doing is brilliant, and so as a fan I’m very happy to see it expand.
Would they come to you for advice now and again?
Hayden Christensen: They don’t need my advice.
They could learn something on the lightsaber at least.
Hayden Christensen: I could give a lightsaber tutorial, sure, if they ask.
Do you engage with this stuff on a fan level?
Hayden Christensen: I don’t usually rewatch my movies. But when we did the Obi Wan Kenobi show I went back and rewatched all of the Star Wars films and it was a really nice experience. I’m really proud of the work we did. I think Episode III is brilliant. What George Lucas did holds up today.
Did you follow Clone Wars all those years?
Hayden Christensen: Of course, yeah! I love Clone Wars. I think what Dave Filoni did with Clone Wars and Rebels are brilliant. I’m indebted to Dave Filoni because I think he helped the character of Anakin a lot. I think he fleshed out the character and also furthered our understanding of Anakin’s relationship with the Jedi and the Council and the mistrust that he harbored.
Did that influence your performance in Obi Wan Kenobi?
Hayden Christensen: Yeah, it did. I feel I know the character, but it certainly helped to see all that and I gained a lot from it.
I hope to see you in that suit for many years to come.
Hayden Christensen: I’d love to get the opportunity to! I love it, and I’d love to do more with it.