After playing Anakin Skywalker in 2002's Attack of the Clones and again in 2005's Revenge of the Sith, it seemed that was it for Hayden Christensen and Star Wars.
When those movies were released, the young actor had a tough time with the critics and hardcore fans alike, but his work has since grown to be appreciated. In fact, if the response he received at Star Wars Celebration this past April is any indication, Christensen is downright beloved now (and rightly so).
Much to the delight of fans, he reprised the role of Anakin/Darth Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi last year and did the same again in Ahsoka. The latter has been praised as perhaps his best work as the character, but how did Lucasfilm talk the actor into reprising the role?
"When I read the scripts for the first time, I was just blown away," Christensen reveals. "When I got the phone call from Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau, to talk about being a part of the Ahsoka project, I was thrilled to get to come back and do more with this character, and to get to work with these people that I really admired."
"It's been really remarkable, the support that I've felt from the fans," he admits. "It has been just amazing, I mean it's a hard thing for me to really define for you in words. It's meant a lot, and it's why I get to come back to Star Wars and do more with this character, and it's really been a special thing."
It's unclear when or where we'll see the actor in Star Wars again, though it certainly felt like the stage was being set for him to be part of Ahsoka season 2. After all, Anakin's Force Ghost is now on Peridea and if the planet really is tied to the Mortis Gods, that could be significant.
Check out these comments in full from Christensen (which were recorded during production before the SAG-AFTRA strike) in the Instagram post below.
Set after the fall of the Empire, Ahsoka follows the former Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano as she investigates an emerging threat to a vulnerable galaxy.
In addition to Rosario Dawson in the title role, the series stars Natasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine Wren, Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera Syndulla, the late Ray Stevenson as Baylan Skoll, Ivanna Sakhno as Shin Hati, Diana Lee Inosanto as Morgan Elsbeth, David Tennant as Huyang, Lars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Eman Esfandi appearing as Ezra Bridger.
Ahsoka was written by Dave Filoni, who executive produces alongside Jon Favreau, Kathleen Kennedy, Colin Wilson, and Carrie Beck. Directors include Filoni, Steph Green, Peter Ramsey, Jennifer Getzinger, Geeta Vasant Patel, and Rick Famuyiwa.
All episodes of Ahsoka are now streaming on Disney+.