Hayden Christensen. George Pimentel/Disney/Shutterstock
Back in business Hayden ChristensenPut on his Darth Vader suit. Obi-Wan KenobiIt took some serious work to get there.
“I think that process was very important for me,” the Shattered Glass Star, 41, told Fatherly Interview published earlier this month. “I needed to become that character again, physically. I ate as many calories as I could. I put on 25 or 30 pounds to fill out that suit.”
Hayden Christensen and Darth Vader George Pimentel/Disney/Shutterstock
Christensen repeated his Star Wars In the Disney+ miniseries, Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker play franchise roles Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan. The Canadian native had approximately nine months to complete his Darth Vader body before filming the series, which aired in May.
“I try to avoid the dad bod thing,” Christensen jokingly told the magazine, noting he has not retained his Star Wars physique since filming wrapped. “And I was trying to maintain that Vader body after we finished. I was honest to say that I just went back on my old diet. I kind of deflated after that.”
The Little Italy actor got his big break playing Anakin Skywalker in the franchise’s prequel trilogy, which included 2002’s Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and 2005’s Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Anakin is the intergalactic villain Darth Vader in the films.
“I was in high school, like, a year before [I got cast as Anakin] doing school plays. I was living in Vancouver at the time, and it was a long audition process,” Christensen recalled during a June appearance on Jimmy Fallon hosts The Tonight Show. “I got the call [that I booked the role and]I was stunned and in disbelief. … It’s an honor to get to wear [the costume] but definitely the best part is seeing people’s reactions when they see Vader.”
After wrapping up his appearance in the trilogy, Jumper The actor eventually returned home to his Star Wars roots when he joined Disney+ miniseries. Obi-Wan Kenobi, which aired its season finale earlier this month, follows McGregor’s character as he oversees a young Luke while living on the planet Tatooine. Christensen, on the other hand, has accepted the evil nature Vader in the new series.
“It’s a good four to five hours getting all of the prosthetics put on, and I got to work with a great team of makeup artists, led by a fellow called Shaun Smith, and they did some incredible work,” he told Collider of getting back into character during a June interview. “It was a lot of time sitting, staying very still while they glue layers of prosthetics all over your body. But the visual creations that were made every time was what I enjoyed. It has a profound effect on how you feel and behave when you see yourself this way. So I enjoyed it.”
Before filming began, American Heist actor also needed to relearn how to excel with a lightsaber — and his 7-year-old daughter, Briar Rose, was an integral part.
“We have a couple lightsabers kicking around the house. She was my first lightsaber trainer partner when I returned from the war. Obi-Wan show,” Christensen told Jimmy FallonHis June 24 appearance included his little girl, whom ex shares with him Rachel Bilson. “She knows Daddy’s Darth Vader, [but] she’s never seen Daddy as Darth Vader. … I might show her the prequels soon, but still, there’s some scenes we might have to fast forward through.”
Obi-Wan Kenobi Currently streaming on Disney+
