Key Takeaways:
– Ewan McGregor grappled with accepting the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars.
– The actor initially identified himself as a “Danny Boyle actor”, proving his hesitation.
– Despite a patchy reception, McGregor’s portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi remains popular amongst fans.
– The actor is eager to reprise his role in potential future projects, although there are no current plans for extending his recent Disney+ miniseries.
Actor Ewan McGregor had almost passed on the opportunity to play the pivotal role of Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars universe. Today, he is applauded and acknowledged worldwide for his portrayal of the character. However, there was a point when this career-altering opportunity seemed uncertain to McGregor.
Ewan McGregor and the Aversion to Star Wars Role
British actor Ewan McGregor, known for his role as Mark Renton in the 1996 comedy-drama Trainspotting, received an offer to play Obi-Wan Kenobi in George Lucas’s Star Wars prequel trilogy shortly after his big break. Despite the status and fame the Star Wars role promised, McGregor was conflicted about accepting the part. He revealed this surprising detail during a recent interview with Variety.
McGregor was deeply embedded in Danny Boyle’s world, having collaborated with the acclaimed director in two of his previous films and was slated to appear in Boyle’s next project, The Beach. This made the decision even harder as he admitted, “I didn’t think it was at all who I was. I believed, at that point, I was a Danny Boyle actor.” The actor sought advice, and although he didn’t divulge what eventually convinced him to accept the part, it’s clear that this advice might have played a crucial role in his decision.
Ewan’s Journey as Obi-Wan Kenobi
The role of Obi-Wan Kenobi was finally accepted by McGregor, marking a pivotal turning point in his career. His portrayal of the character, despite the mixed reaction of fans to the Star Wars prequels, continues to be admired by many fans. His choice to play Obi-Wan saved millions of fans the heartbreak of losing an actor they have grown to love in a character they so cherish.
After his first appearance in The Phantom Menace in 1999, McGregor subsequently reprised his role in the succeeding two films of the prequel series. Despite grappling with the lukewarm reception to The Phantom Menace, which was hard to digest initially, his enthusiasm remained unscathed.
McGregor Reflects on the Future of Obi-Wan
The actor returned to play Obi-Wan in a Disney+ miniseries in 2022. The miniseries, solely dedicated to his character, was met with great anticipation and speculation. McGregor recently expressed his eagerness to continue playing the iconic character.
The actor mentioned, “I would love to do the second season, but there’s no talk of it yet. There is a lot going on at Disney.” However, whether the miniseries will be extended beyond the initial six episodes remains unknown.
Given his particular popularity in the Star Wars fandom, the return of McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi to the galaxy far, far away sometime soon is highly probable. Currently, the Star Wars prequels and Obi-Wan Kenobi miniseries can be streamed on Disney+.
