Hayden Christensen’s appearances on screen inObi-Wan Kenobiwere fleeting but well used, and probably the most effective of those appearances came in the finale of the show during the climactic battle between Darth Vader and Kenobi. As the former master and student came to blows in one of the most thrilling and spectacular lightsaber duels of the entireStar Warsfranchise, Kenobi slices open Vader’s helmet, revealing the scarred face of Anakin Skywalker below. Christensen has now been breaking down the make-up process that went into becoming Anakin again.
While fans were instantly on board with Christensen’s return to theStar Warsfranchise, there were some who questioned his need to be in the suit of Vader following the actor’s comments about having to gain a little weight to fit inside the costume again. Now, it has all become clear, asObi-Wan Kenobidelivered a stunning moment when Anakin Skywalker was finally, lost to the Dark Side and Kenobi acknowledged that his old friend was gone. While speaking toCollider, Christensen said that he enjoyed the make-up process, and felt it really helped bring out the best in his performance.
“Yeah. I mean, 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. It was a lot of time sitting, staying very still while they glue layers of prosthetics all over your body. But I really enjoy just the visual creation that took place every time. It so much sort of affects the way that you feel and you behave when you see yourself like that. So I enjoyed it.”
Related:Hayden Christensen Had to Bulk Up by 30 Pounds to Play Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi
Hayden Christensen Will Return Again inAhsoka
The return of Hayden Christensen has been just one of the triumphs ofObi-Wan Kenobi,and fans will not have to wait too long to see himreprising his role again in the upcoming Dave Filoni seriesAhsoka. While there has been no confirmation of how the actor will feature in the series, which could be as Vader, Skywalker, a Force Ghost, or any combination, after the culmination ofObi-Wan Kenobiwhichever it turns out to be will be enough for fans.
Darth Vader has always been one of the most iconic villains in cinema history and considering he did not appear until the final moments of the prequel trilogy, the new exploration of the character in the time betweenRevenge of the SithandA New Hopehas brought a huge amount of character development that no one realized they were missing out on until now. While it would be a mistake to suddenly have Vader appearing in every project, there are still plenty of gaps along the timeline that could allow Christensen to continue to play the role a few more times in the near future ofStar Wars. With a number of announcements having been made atStar Wars Celebration, we could find out more of what the future holds for the franchise at D23 Expo in September.
