Summary
- Ewan McGregor feels closer to fans of the
Star Wars
prequels now because so many were kids when the films were released — and they grew up loving the movies. - McGregor found it difficult to deal with the criticism the prequels faced when they were initially released, but now appreciates the love he receives from fans.
- McGregor emotionally recalls meeting a young fan who couldn’t hold back his tears upon seeing him and Hayden Christensen, aka Anakin Skywalker, together.
Ewan McGregor knows just how much the Star Wars prequels really mean to so many fans. Back when George Lucas released Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, the diehards seemed disappointed that the new films weren’t more like the original trilogy. But today, McGregor can really feel the adoration fans have for the prequels. McGregor addressed why there seems to be so much more love for the prequel trilogy now than back in the day during an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! McGregor said on the late-night talk show:
“I think it’s different people. The people that I meet that really love them were kids then. And nobody was listening to them because there was no internet, you know, and they were kids. But now, I’ve just… I feel closer to them. And I appreciate them.”
In 1999, McGregor donned the robes and wielded the trademark blue lightsaber of Obi-Wan Kenobi for the first time in The Phantom Menace. “The idea to take on Star Wars was so massive,” McGregor told Kimmel. Unfortunately, fans and critics back then said “terrible things” about the first of George Lucas’ three prequels. And McGregor found dealing with the criticism quite difficult.
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Inspiring Love for the Prequels
After completing the Star Wars prequel trilogy in 2005, Ewan McGregor truly felt he’d done his best when it came to portraying young Obi-Wan Kenobi. Unfortunately, back then, the fans and critics didn’t appreciate that creator George Lucas was honestly trying to make completely different films and tell unique stories that were nothing like those in the original Star Wars movies.
However, the reception McGregor receives from the fan base today is vastly different to what he experienced two decades ago. While visiting with Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night talk show, McGregor recalled meeting one young fan in particular when he was taking photographs and signing autographs with his friend and prequels’ co-star, Hayden Christensen, aka Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. McGregor said:
“This little guy came in — he must have been nine or 10-years-old — this little boy with his mom and dad. And he was… you could just see that when he saw us both together he just couldn’t hold it together. And the tears were starting to run down his face. And it was just the most beautiful thing. It just meant so much to him.”
McGregor also mentioned a time when he received a note from a Star Wars fan who loved the prequels so much because they helped her through a very dark time in life. McGregor told Kimmel:
To get a chance to meet people like that, and it just means the world to me. And it’s made me closer to the prequels.
At the time of this writing, Obi-Wan Kenobi season two has not been greenlit, but director Deborah Chow insists there are still 10 years worth of stories to tell when it comes to exploring the further adventures of McGregor’s Jedi before Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope. And fans can check out McGregor’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in its entirety (below), and his daughter Clara joins him on stage. The young actress reminisces about being on the set of the prequel trilogy, as a kid, and how much she enjoyed the craft services table:
