We know that Hayden Christensen is returning to Star Wars for the first time since Revenge of the Sith in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series, but what we don’t know is if he’ll only play Darth Vader or flashback Anakin, or both.
Well, based on some recent paparazzi snaps, it appears he may be playing both roles thanks to his increased muscle mass and slightly longer hair. One could definitely argue now that his new buff look with longer hair means that he will be portraying the Clone Wars-era of Anakin Skywalker in addition to Vader. He wouldn’t necessarily need to physically bulk up and grow out his hair if he was just playing Vader, because he’d be in a suit with all sorts of face and head makeup, so beefing up and growing out his locks would seem redundant. But, if we get some inevitable flashbacks of Kenobi thinking about his friendship with Anakin, you know the good times, then Hayden would surely need to be a bit bulked up with some longer hair.
I think it’s a forgone conclusion that we see both Vader and Anakin in the Kenobi series, so I definitely believe Hayden is putting in the time to alter his physical appearance to better match the elder Skywalker’s. Hopefully, we get multiple flashbacks, maybe one per episode in which Kenobi reflects on his bond with Anakin while coming to terms with the fact that he’s now become Darth Vader. I think it would offer up some amazing parallel storytelling that would provide even more flesh to the Kenobi/Skywalker saga, and how their relationship fundamentally changed the direction of the galaxy.
Nick and I will talk more about this bulk up in today’s episode of the SWTS, so don’t forget to tune into the Star Wars Time Show on a weekly basis via our podcast platforms or via YouTube if you prefer the livestream angle.
