Hayden Christensen owes his role in Star Wars to Leonardo DiCaprio, who almost became Anakin Skywalker himself

Star Wars captivates people with its exciting space battles, unforgettable characters and vast story that spans generations. Of all these characters, Anakin Skywalker stands out to many. Anakin isn’t your usual protagonist; he struggles with inner conflict, fear and attachment, making him more relatable than other characters who always seem to have it all.

It was Hayden Christensen who brought Darth Vader’s former self to life. But achieving that role was not a certainty for him. Also, it would be shocking to many to learn that the near-casting of Leonardo DiCaprio as Anakin Skywalker paved the way for Christensen’s iconic role in Star Wars.

Hayden Christensen revealed that Leonardo DiCaprio almost became Anakin Skywalker Star Wars

Hayden Christensen, who is now synonymous with Anakin Skywalker, once thought he had no chance of getting the role. The actor revealed to Empire magazine that he believed he was a good candidate for the role, especially after finding out that Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio was also in the running. The Canadian star said:

‘I had heard that they had met Leonardo and some other actors. That just confirmed my thoughts that the role would go to another actor. Throughout the entire audition process, I had told myself from day one that I wasn’t going to get the part. It just wasn’t a possibility.”

Surprisingly, this outsider feeling may have actually helped Christensen. “I think this probably helped me a lot.” he said, “Because it freed me in a lot of ways.”

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The choice of Christensen for the role of Anakin Skywalker was a departure from the usual approach of casting established stars in big-budget films. Lucasfilm took a risk with this decision and initially received mixed reactions from fans.

Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker performance evolved over time

Hayden Christensen’s portrayal of Anakin Skywalker (much like the prequel films in general) was met with some backlash early on. Fans accustomed to the calmness of characters like Luke Skywalker found Anakin’s emotional arc very different and perhaps even off-putting.

Christensen recognized this criticism and said (in the same interview): “The character was criticized, my performance was criticized, and that part was bad.” However, he also brings up an interesting point of view, noting that Star Wars is set in a fantastic universe and the characters are not allowed to be held to the norms of everyday life.

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Although the 43-year-old’s portrayal initially faced criticism, it has gained more recognition over time. It led to his recent comeback in the Star Wars universe through Disney+ series such as Obi Wan Kenobi And Ahsoka.

For Christensen, being back in the Star Wars world was a dream come true: “It was a bucket list item I didn’t even know I had.” Although his future as Darth Vader has not yet been confirmed.