McGregor thrilled about returning to 'Star Wars' as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Actor Ewan McGregor says reprising his legendary Star Wars role of Obi-Wan Kenobi for the upcoming Disney Plus limited series has been an "absolutely brilliant" experience. The 50-year-old actor said he is enjoying every bit of playing the character he first essayed in George Lucas's The Phantom Menace (1999). Here's more about the actor and the upcoming series.
The actor portrayed the character in two sequels also
He came back for its two sequels -- Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005) -- with the latter marking his final appearance as the character. Teasing his return to the franchise during an appearance on CBS Sunday Morning, McGregor said, "I'm not saying anything! But to come back to play him again, Obi-Wan Kenobi has been absolutely brilliant."
McGregor has constantly been questioned about a comeback
The Golden Globe winner said he has been avoiding questions related to his Star Wars comeback since 2005. That was annoying, McGregor said. Every interview I ever did for, you know, years, people would say, "Well, are the rumors true?"
McGregor feels Disney probably took notice of his interviews
"And I'd have to sort of, I'd have to lie," said McGregor. "I'd have to say, 'Well, you know, I don't know. I'd be happy to play him one day again.' I'd have to just keep saying this and it started looking like I was sort of asking Disney for a job," he added.
The series based on Obi-Wan Kenobi was announced in 2019
Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most pivotal characters of the Star Wars universe. He was first portrayed by legendary actor Alec Guinness in the original 1977 movie A New Hope. Guinness later appeared as a force ghost in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). The series, based on the character and starring McGregor, was announced in August 2019.
It will be a single-season, six-episode show
John Wick: Chapter 3 executive producer Joby Harold is writing the series, with Deborah Chow attached to direct. It will be a single-season, six-episode show set eight years after Revenge of the Sith and 11 years before A New Hope. The cast also includes Hayden Christensen, Joel Edgerton, Kumail Nanjiani, Maya Erskine, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Moses Ingram, Rupert Friend, and Benny Safdie.
