Ewan Gordon McGregor, an OBE recipient (born March 31, 1971), is a highly successful Scottish actor in mainstream, independent, and art-house cinema. Within the Star Wars franchise, he portrayed the Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi in both the prequel trilogy and the eponymous TV show. Beyond the Star Wars universe, McGregor is well-known for his roles in films such as Trainspotting and Moulin Rouge!, and as a motorcyclist advocating for UNICEF initiatives.
Born on March 31, 1971, Ewan McGregor spent his childhood in Crieff, a town located in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. From a young age, he aspired to be an actor. At the age of five, McGregor followed his brother Colin to the local boarding school, Morrison's Academy. During his time there, he cultivated his musical abilities, playing the drums and earning an award for his skill with the French horn. He also possessed a notable singing voice. Furthermore, he displayed a talent for acting, securing his first role at the age of six as King David in Crieff South Church's production of David and Goliath. His uncle, Denis Lawson, who played Rebellion pilot Wedge Antilles in all three films of the original trilogy, served as his primary inspiration for pursuing acting. As a child, McGregor was an avid fan of the original trilogy, repeatedly watching the films on video until the tapes wore out. He was particularly captivated by Alec Guinness's portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi, fueling his desire to be a part of Star Wars. By the age of nine, McGregor had firmly decided to pursue a career in acting.
Ewan McGregor took on the role of Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. Initially, he felt uneasy about the prospect of joining the Star Wars franchise during the casting process. He expressed skepticism about playing Kenobi, feeling that his persona as an "independent, urban-y, grungy actor" did not align with the character. After careful consideration and research, he sought advice from acquaintances to determine if it was the right decision. Despite his initial apprehension, McGregor's anxiety transformed into excitement as he progressed closer to securing the role of Kenobi. In December 1996, he participated in an audition interview held in London. Shortly thereafter, McGregor received confirmation that he had been offered the part. Eager to portray a younger version of Alec Guinness, he immersed himself in Guinness's earlier films to envision him in his youth. He also studied Guinness's performances and revisited the original trilogy as part of his preparation, consciously avoiding focusing on the genre itself.
George Lucas, the director, gave McGregor a tour of the studio, showcasing the submarine he would be using. Subsequently, they visited the props department, where the prop master presented him with a collection of lightsaber props. McGregor was then given the opportunity to select the specific lightsaber he would wield in the film. His initial lightsaber training involved preparing for the duel against Darth Maul. He considered it an extraordinary experience and found the duels to be intricate and fast-paced. To represent a padawan braid, McGregor wore a braid that remained attached to his hair throughout the day, a look he found appealing. McGregor expressed his enjoyment of working with Lucas and fellow cast members Natalie Portman, Liam Neeson, and Ahmed Best, who played Padmé Amidala, Qui-Gon Jinn, and Jar Jar Binks, respectively.
Approximately six to eight months after the initial filming of The Phantom Menace, McGregor and other actors returned for reshoots. Due to prior commitments, McGregor was unable to alter his hairstyle or grow a beard. As a result, the crew created a short-haired wig for him, but he found it challenging to conceal his longer hair underneath. Following the negative reception of The Phantom Menace, McGregor developed a negative view of the franchise and struggled to cope with the criticism, knowing that he was contractually obligated to appear in further prequel films.
In Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, McGregor portrayed an older version of Kenobi. Shortly after Hayden Christensen was chosen by George Lucas to play Anakin Skywalker, he felt apprehensive upon arriving at a soundstage in Sydney, Australia. He entered the hair and makeup room and encountered his fellow actor for the first time. McGregor greeted Christensen warmly, as if they were old friends. He welcomed Christensen into the Star Wars universe family and helped him adjust to the massive, droid-factory-like machinery involved. McGregor and Christensen engaged in lightsaber rehearsals, which Christensen described as the most enjoyable part of the experience, likening it to "playing with your friend every day." He also received lightsaber training from stunt coordinator Nick Gillard. McGregor expressed his dislike for Kenobi's hairstyle in the film, but he understood that it was intended to signify character progression. McGregor found it difficult to realistically interact with the Kaminoans because they were not physically present on set.
McGregor also reprised his role as Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. It was McGregor's suggestion that he and the crew consult images of Alec Guinness in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope to create a seamless transition between the two actors' portrayals. Additionally, his hair and beard were slightly grayed to more closely resemble Guinness's appearance. During filming, McGregor happened to meet Ross Beadman, the young actor who played a doomed Jedi youngling, and took the opportunity to spend ten minutes talking with him and inviting him and his mother for champagne. He acknowledged the challenges presented by the prequel trilogy, such as "walking around with the big alien people that aren't really there and spending a lot of time on a blue set just speaking into the air," but also recognized aspects that he found "mind-blowing." The prequel trilogy faced considerable criticism from audiences, which McGregor found difficult to cope with, particularly early in his career. McGregor felt relieved to finally put the franchise behind him.
Following the announcement of the Star Wars sequel trilogy in 2012, McGregor expressed his willingness to return to the series if asked. He made a brief vocal cameo in the 2015 film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, providing Kenobi's voice calling out to Rey in her Force-induced visions. Initially, voice actor James Arnold Taylor, who had voiced McGregor's character in various Star Wars media, including animation and video games, recorded the dialogue. However, his recordings were replaced with McGregor's, a decision that Taylor understood and accepted.
After the second season's finale of Star Wars Rebels, the show's showrunner, Dave Filoni, expressed his desire to have McGregor voice Obi-Wan Kenobi in the show, despite Arnold Taylor's availability. Filoni was open to bringing back any Star Wars actors to reprise their movie roles in the series. Ultimately, Stephen Stanton voiced Kenobi when he appeared in the third season episode "Twin Suns."
McGregor had been aware of a potential Obi-Wan Kenobi spin-off project since 2015, and he was obligated to keep the information confidential in interviews until 2019. In 2016, McGregor stated that he did not feel a strong urge to play Kenobi again and that he lacked any particular fascination with the Star Wars films, possibly because he had already been involved in them and had "seen behind the curtain." He added that the films no longer held the same sense of "wonderment" for him. However, McGregor encountered many individuals who had grown up watching the prequels and expressed the films' significance to them. He appreciated the "wave of positivity" and praise for his portrayal of Kenobi, which reignited his passion for the role and made him realize how much he loved playing the character.
In interviews, McGregor expressed his openness to returning as Kenobi in Star Wars, but he worried that he was being too forthcoming. He openly stated his willingness to play Kenobi if Lucasfilm desired it, leading some to believe that he was "touting for work at Disney's door." The public generally assumed that McGregor was eager to reprise his role as Kenobi. In 2018, a meeting was held to gauge the actor's genuine interest in playing Kenobi in an Obi-Wan Kenobi film, which was intended to be part of a series of standalone movies separate from the Skywalker saga. Lucasfilm Ltd.'s then head of story, Kiri Hart, and the other attendees acknowledged McGregor's expressed willingness to participate, but Hart questioned whether he genuinely meant it or was simply being polite. They directly asked McGregor if he was truly committed, and he confirmed his involvement. Subsequently, Lucasfilm actively began developing an Obi-Wan Kenobi film, with Stephen Daldry slated to direct. McGregor was set to serve as a producer, granting him greater input into the storyline. He envisioned Kenobi starting as a broken, faithless man, with the film depicting his journey of recovery. At some point, McGregor participated in screen tests for the film.
Ultimately, the film was reimagined as a television series directed by Deborah Chow, with whom McGregor was enthusiastic to collaborate. McGregor was deeply involved throughout the entire development process. He even participated in camera tests while wearing Kenobi's costume on the set of The Mandalorian. To prepare for his return as Kenobi, McGregor watched all nine films in the Skywalker saga, marking the first time he had viewed the prequels since their original release. He also began reading science fiction, including works by Iain M. Banks. McGregor described the experience of donning Kenobi's attire as a truly special moment. He thoroughly enjoyed playing Kenobi again and appreciated the opportunity to bridge the gap between his portrayal and that of Sir Alec Guinness.
To rediscover Kenobi's voice, McGregor listened to a sound file containing all of Guinness's lines from A New Hope. Before filming each scene, McGregor would imagine how Guinness would deliver the lines. Once the crew was satisfied with a scene, McGregor would perform an additional take, exaggerating Guinness's mannerisms. McGregor desired Kenobi to have an unkempt hairstyle and appearance to reflect the character's faithless and somewhat resigned state. When portraying Kenobi, McGregor aimed to evoke the impression that the character would eventually evolve into Guinness, attempting to emulate Guinness's voice and demeanor without resorting to a mere impersonation. He stated that he gained more satisfaction from playing Kenobi in the show than he did in the entire prequel trilogy, attributing it to the writing, the people he worked with, the technology used, and the overall differences in the production. Christensen remarked that seeing McGregor as Kenobi for the first time was a particularly special moment that he would always remember. During a chemistry test between McGregor and Vivien Lyra Blair, the actress who played Leia Organa in the series, they rehearsed the lines for one of their conversations on Daiyu.
McGregor enjoyed collaborating with Deborah Chow, praising her quiet authority and comprehensive understanding of the Star Wars universe. McGregor also appreciated Chow's ability to seamlessly integrate elements from the 1975 set and the actors' performances from 2003 into the series. On the first day of production, McGregor began filming his scenes on the Sandwhale Farm set. Moses Ingram, who played the Third Sister, received fight training from McGregor, whom she described as a "graceful little butterfly." He provided her with encouragement as she navigated rookie mistakes. On one occasion, while filming a scene, McGregor accidentally dropped his lightsaber into the gap between the virtual LED set known as the Volume and the edge of the stage. The first scene shot with Christensen featured him as Anakin Skywalker in a vision experienced by Kenobi. The scene was filmed on location, and McGregor insisted on remaining on set to witness Christensen's first shot back.
McGregor observed that Blair possessed all the wit and cheekiness of Carrie Fisher's portrayal of Organa in the original trilogy. McGregor and Organa developed a closer bond during filming, mirroring the evolving relationship between Kenobi and Organa in the series. When McGregor rehearsed the duel on Mapuzo, Vader was not wearing his helmet. During the actual filming of the scene, Vader emerged from behind McGregor, startling him. McGregor also expressed that seeing stormtroopers made him feel like he was seven years old again. During lengthy filming days, McGregor sought a comprehensive warm-up routine from movement coordinator Olga Sokolova, who led him through a technical contemporary warm-up. Sokolova was impressed by McGregor's physical capabilities after witnessing him execute advanced moves with ease. McGregor and Christensen trained with lightsabers for the flashback scene depicting Kenobi and Skywalker training in the fifth episode. They both wore dots on their faces for the de-aging technology. McGregor found it remarkable to see Liam Neeson reprise his role as Qui-Gon Jinn in the sixth episode. McGregor stated that he would gladly play Kenobi again if given the opportunity.
On August 23, 2019, McGregor made a surprise appearance on stage at the D23 convention to announce his return as Kenobi in the Obi-Wan Kenobi television series, which would be streamed on the Disney+ service. The series is set ten years after the events of Revenge of the Sith. The series was initially scheduled to premiere on May 25, 2022. However, on March 21, 2022, McGregor announced that the premiere date had been pushed back to May 27, 2022, with the first two episodes being released together. He was also interviewed for Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return, a documentary that chronicled the making of the series.