Ewan McGregor has discussed the modifications made to Obi-Wan Kenobi during its early production, saying he is ‘glad’ that the narrative was adjusted to centre on Princess Leia rather than Luke Skywalker, as was initially planned.
Throughout the Easter weekend, Star Wars fans from all over the world descended on ExCeL London for Star Wars Celebration, a massive fan gathering honouring everything about the legendary saga.
On April 9, members of the Obi-Wan Kenobi ensemble – Ewan, Vivien Lyra Blair, Hayden Christensen, and Indira Varma – as well as the show’s director Deborah Chow – were interviewed about the show, which debuted on Disney Plus last year.
The panel discussed how the series came to be, as well as how the narrative’s direction changed as the concept was being developed.
While the Obi-Wan Kenobi teaser promised a young Luke Skywalker (Grant Feely) on Tatooine, the episode really featured a weary Obi-Wan as he attempted to rescue a young Princess Leia (Vivien) following an abduction.
‘The first conversations we had were about Obi-Wan being shattered, living on Tatooine, surviving Order 66, and the conclusion of Episode III,’ Ewan, 52, recalled.
‘I just thought to take this character that we knew from Alec Guinness and from the work that I had done through the prequels too, as this able warrior Jedi Knight, to take him into a broken place and to imagine what it might be like for somebody who’s lost so many of the people he loves and is estranged from the rest. He can’t reach out to anybody.’
Addressing the aftermath of Anakin Skywalker’s (Hayden) descent to the dark side of the Force and his transformation into Darth Vader in the prequel films, Ewan continued: ‘He’s also carrying the guilt and the shame of having lost his Padawan, lost his brother, and feeling so ashamed and guilt-ridden about that, feeling like it was his fault. I thought that would just be interesting to start there.’
The Trainspotting star added: ‘I didn’t really know what the story would be, but that was the starting place. It went through different iterations. It was a story about Obi-Wan and Luke for a while, and then I can’t remember exactly when that changed. It was a great change. I’m so proud that it’s a story about Obi-Wan and Leia.’
Deborah, who directed a few of episodes of The Mandalorian during its first season, adding that one of the things she found’really appealing about the project’ was the decision to put Leia at the core of the story rather than Luke.
‘It’s very hard to justify why he would leave, and so really what you’re saying is we need an incredibly strong reason.’ she said of Obi-Wan’s departure from Tatooine, where he’d been stationed keeping a watch on Luke.
‘The other thing that Vivien and I both really liked about the project was we liked getting to shine a light on Princess Leia and acknowledge [her].’
During the Star Wars Celebration panel, the director and performers were able to share their favourite Obi-Wan Kenobi clip, with Ewan’s being the moment when the eponymous character and Leia said their goodbyes in the last episode.
He admitted that he was’sitting alone weeping his eyes out’ the first time he saw the season finale.
‘I just find it so beautiful. The fact that “May the force be with you” doesn’t come till then,’ he said, referring to the fact that Obi-Wan finally says the famous Jedi line during his interaction with the young princess at that point in the series, after everything that they’ve been through together.
‘So beautiful, he’s finally got to the point where it’s alive in him again.’
Speaking directly to Vivien, he added: ‘I love it, and I love doing it with you, that scene. It was so lovely to play.’
While there is no certainty that there will be further Obi-Wan Kenobi films, the lead actor has stated that he would be interested if the appropriate idea came along.
Emphasising how ‘special’ it was to don Obi-Wan’s robes once again, Ewan said: ‘It just was the right time to come back and do it again for me.
‘There’s something in my heart that’s opened up in terms of the acceptance of it, of the whole thing in my life. The whole Star Wars part of my life is back and it feels really good. I have to say it feels really, really good. Hopefully someone might think we should do some more.’
Unsurprisingly, the audience exploded in cheers and ovation. There is always the possibility of success!
Obi-Wan Kenobi is available to watch on Disney Plus.
Source My Celebrity Life.
