As perhaps the most impactful franchise of all time, Star Wars has seen and done it all over the course of several decades. Throughout its multiple trilogies, the saga has used perfect casting, clever Easter eggs, and a compelling story to reach millions of adoring fans around the world. While it has not always been perfect, there is a reason why people still cannot get enough of the franchise.
Back in the 2000s, the prequel trilogy was fully underway, and it was time to cast the perfect actor to play Anakin Skywalker. A young Hayden Christensen wound up being the lucky guy, and he would star in two films of the prequel trilogy, taking Anakin from Jedi to Sith by the time the trilogy had finished. Needless to say, Christensen is an integral part of the franchise, and the way he landed the role is nothing short of impressive.
Let’s take a look and see how he did it!
1,500 Different People Auditioned For The Role
Given that the franchise was raking in a ton of cash while launching into the prequel trilogy, it makes sense that any actor would love the chance to play a lead character at some point. Turns out, there were around 1,500 people looking to play Anakin Skywalker.
Imagine being one of 1,500 people all fighting for the same role in a movie. This is not an easy thing to deal with, and the audition process itself is one that can be grueling and quite difficult.
Casting director Robin Gurland would open up about the process of casting the films, giving some insight into the process and seeing someone connect with a role without having to say a single word.
Robin would say, "For Anakin, the role is so innate, the actor has to connect with it. You just know immediately when someone comes in a room -- no matter what they've done or what can say they can do -- if they're going to connect with a role. It was a similar case when I met Ewan [McGregor] and Natalie [Portman] for their roles. I just knew innately they were right."
For many people, this means that they are basically doomed from the start. The lucky ones that do establish a connection, however, are suddenly in a position to make some big things happen. Turns out, Hayden brought a uniqueness to the table that helped push him over the edge when being considered for Anakin Skywalker.
Hayden Had A Natural Dark Side
Hayden Christensen was among 1,500 people considered for the role of Anakin Skywalker, and while he has taken flack for his performance, clearly, the casting director and George Lucas saw something in him that no one else had.
When speaking with Star Wars, Robin Gurland would elaborate on casting Hayden in the franchise.
Robin would say, "When Hayden came for his first meeting, I opened the door, and I just suddenly became flushed, because I knew. I sat him down and looked at him through the camera, and all of a sudden, I could feel goosebumps. I couldn't get too excited, because it's just the initial meeting, but by the end of it, I just knew that Anakin had walked in the door. I literally picked up the phone and called George and said, 'Anakin just walked in.”
This is a powerful quote, as it showed the type of command and presence that the young Hayden had in the audition room that day. Of course, George Lucas would need to have final say, but even he saw something in Christensen that no one else had.
According to Fandom, George Lucas “needed an actor who has that presence of the dark side." This was due to the fact that Anakin was to become Vader in Revenge of the Sith, and the natural dark side needed to take over.
As time went on, Hayden would make a name for himself in the franchise, but not without some serious ups and downs. It’s certainly made people wonder how he is feeling about the films these days.
How He Feels About Star Wars Now
Any person that has taken part in such a massive franchise tends to have some mixed feelings about how things played out. The Star Wars fandom is intense, and it has led to some of its biggest stars taking heat.
While Christensen has taken a ton of criticism for his portrayal of Anakin, including two Razzie wins, he has seemingly put that behind him. Time does wonders, but so does stepping away from Hollywood altogether, which is the approach that he took.
According to IMDb, Christensen did lend his voice to The Rise of Skywalker, which caught a lot of people by surprise. It showed that he was willing to dip his toes back into the Star Wars pool and that he was finally okay with his legacy.
Hayden Christensen beat out 1,500 people for the role of Anakin, and while it did have some serious lows, he can always lay claim to being a massive piece of a truly timeless franchise.