I think we can all agree that Ewan McGregor has become synonymous with the Star Wars universe and despite his performance in the prequel trilogy initially generating a negative reception from the fandom, the films would later become cult classics and their popularity even led to the actor's return to the franchise 17 years after the release of Revenge of the Sith.
Now, this may come as a shocker to a lot of fans but McGregor apparently had doubts about starring in The Phantom Menace and we were nearly robbed of seeing his now-iconic portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi.
In an interview on the SmartLess podcast, hosted by fellow actors Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Sean Hayes, McGregor revealed that he initially had no interest in joining Star Wars as he felt he was out of his element. The Scottish actor was fresh off the success of the Oscar-nominated film Trainspotting when Lucasfilm gave him the offer.
Admittedly, McGregor felt like a huge deal during the time, and Star Wars wasn't a project he wanted to do. He said: "I really had to think about it. Because it came right after that 'Trainspotting' period, and by that time I was so full of myself. I was like, 'I am Danny Boyle's actor. I am f*****g urban grunge. I am the Oasis of the British movie industry,' and then when 'Star Wars' came around, I felt, 'I don't know if I want to do this. This isn't me. I was so into being this sort of antihero. I felt like an indie British actor. I felt like that defined me."
Also Read: Ewan McGregor Reveals Why He is NOT Interested in Joining the MCU
Thankfully, McGregor ultimately made the right chose and accepted the role which he would later define decades after fans were first introduced to Alec Guinness' original version of the character. It's safe to assume that looking back, Ewan was relieved that he joined Star Wars.
Speaking of the Jedi Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi's first season is streaming exclusively on Disney+. Season 2 is reportedly in the works.
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