1 THE TRANSFORMATION
25 YEARS OF THE PREQUELS
AS THE LEGENDARY ANAKIN SKYWALKER. IT WAS ON HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN TO SHOW US HOW AN IDEALISTIC TEENAGER LOST HIS WAY, BECOMING CINEMA'S MOST ICONIC VILLAIN. HE TALKS ABOUT TAKING ON TUSKEN RAIDERS. YOUNGLINGS, AND THE WEIGHT OF EXPECTATIONS
WORDS AMON WARMANN
Hayden Christensen, photographed exclusively for Empire in Toronto on 24 January 2024.
NORMAN WONG
Bathed in the glow of a Tatooine double-sunset in Attack Of The Clones;
Previous spread: Coat, Jil Sander; Polo neck, Jil Sander; Trousers, Wanze Song; Shoes, Prada at Holt Renfrew. This spread: Coat, Givenchy at VSP Consignment; Shirt, Off-White.
"I WAS REALLY THRILLED THAT I WAS GONNA GET TO EXPRESS GEORGE'S MAPPING OUT OF HOW SOMEONE GOES FROM GOOD TO BAD."
Anakin races towards the Tusken Raider camp on his nifty Zephyr-G swoop bike
And with mentor — and later heartbroken nemesis — Obi-Wan (Ewan McGregor).
THIS IS WHERE THE FUN BEGINS. For years, we’d wondered —dreamed —how it happened. How the almost mythical figure, Anakin Skywalker —Luke’s dad! —came to be clad in pitch-black armour, serving as the right-hand enforcer of galactic tyrant Emperor Palpatine, and striking fear through the hearts of everyone in the galaxy, Force-choking his way across the stars. Then finally, after over two decades of us pondering it all, George Lucas’ prequel trilogy was announced, promising to answer our feverish, lingering questions.
The one chosen to play the Chosen One was Hayden Christensen, destined to lead Star Wars down a bold new path and bring balance and empathy to the burgeoning, fearsome Sith Lord, across 2002’s Attack Of The Clones and 2005’s Revenge Of The Sith. In an instant, Christensen went from being a relatively unknown 18-year-old to the focal point of cinema’s biggest franchise.
Such a task would have proved too overwhelming for many, but he took it on head first, and a whole new generation embraced his Anakin. And while Christensen initially came under fire from a rabid portion of the fanbase, a reappraisal of the prequels has brought a more positive reading. Meanwhile, he has well and truly been brought back into the fold, both on screen in the Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka series on Disney+, and on stage at Star Wars Celebrations, where he consistently receives thunderous receptions.