Why Hollywood Stopped Casting Hayden Christensen

With Disney churning out new "Star Wars" projects at a near-breakneck pace in recent years, actor Hayden Christensen has returned to the public consciousness in a major way. Once lampooned for his performances as Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader in the prequel films, the British Columbia native is being viewed in a whole new light in his second go-around with the Disney+ series "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and "Ahsoka." Even before he officially reclaimed his Sith lord mantle, Christensen proved that a generation of fans still love him during his grand return to Star Wars Celebration in 2017, when he received a tear-jerking ovation after a 15-year absence from the annual event.

Still, even as goodwill for the actor seemingly abounds, Christensen's IMDb page isn't exactly exploding with new film and television credits. Before his return to the Galaxy Far, Far Away family, he had all but vanished from the public eye. Given his involvement in some of the biggest film projects of our generation and the early momentum that involvement gave his career, one can't help but wonder why Hollywood decided it was all but done with Christensen when he was in the middle of his acting prime. Here are some possible explanations for his disappearance from the scene.

Make no mistake about it — George Lucas is the arbiter of many people's childhoods through his work with "Star Wars" alone. Whether you grew up in the '70s and '80s with the original trilogy of films or you came up with Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, and Jar Jar Binks in the '90s and 2000s, your life was probably touched in one way or another by his work. Nevertheless, Lucas has also been involved in some of the biggest behind-the-scenes feuds in the "Star Wars" franchise and his efforts as a director, screenwriter, and creator of worlds haven't always been universally praised. The prequel trilogy, in particular, which included two films starring Christensen, was slammed by some critics for its dialogue and the occasionally wooden performances that Lucas brought out as a director. 

Even Lucas himself has admitted that some of the dialogue was "corny." However, the legendary filmmaker also contends that the way his characters speak and the things they say in the "Star Wars" films were the result of his calculated decisions and artistic vision. "Most people don't understand the style of Star Wars," Lucas explained, as detailed in the book "The Star Wars Archives: 1999–2005" (via SYFY). "They don't get that there's an underlying motif that is very much like a 1930s Western or Saturday matinee serial. It's in the more romantic period of making movies and adventure films. And this film is even more of a melodrama than the others." Still, there's no denying that Lucas' vision impacted how Christensen's acting was perceived by fans and critics.

From the time "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace" was released in 1999 to the prequel trilogy's 2005 culmination with "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith," George Lucas' film series was at the forefront of the pop culture discussion. As such, the actors who brought it to life — Hayden Christensen, Ewan McGregor, Natalie Portman, and others — were put under the proverbial microscope; their comings and goings were widely reported, and their actual performances in the films were examined with even more fervor. For McGregor and Portman, that attention helped launch them into the cinematic stratosphere. In Christensen's case, though, every perceived fault in his performance was blasted online and in the press.

Consequently, he netted some awards that no actor wants to be associated with, winning the Razzie award twice — once for Worst Supporting Actor for his work in "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones" and again for "Revenge of the Sith." He and Portman were also nominated for Worst Screen Couple for their work in "Attack of the Clones," and in 2008, he was nominated with Jessica Alba as the Worst Screen Couple for their film "Awake." Christensen's longtime association with the bad-acting award likely didn't help his cause.

Fans may look upon Hayden Christensen and the "Star Wars" prequels more fondly now, but back when the films were released — and for some time after the fact — they were viewed by many as the creative low point for the franchise. Christensen addressed the hate he received from critics and fans in a 2024 interview with Empire Magazine, saying, "Because 'Star Wars' has had the cultural impact that it has, these characters almost become public domain, where people feel a sense of ownership over them. The character was criticised, my performance was criticised, and that part sucked." Christensen maintained that he took the criticism in stride, saying, "I didn't understand the disconnect between the movie that I saw, and the negativity in some of the reviews. In a way, that sort of criticism, I think, comes from a certain failure of their own suspension of disbelief."

Although Christensen asserts that the negativity hurled in his direction by critics and fans was their issue and not his, it's hard to imagine that it didn't affect how he was perceived by Hollywood's top decision-makers. At the least, it probably didn't help his cause as he worked to carve out a successful career after "Star Wars."

There is a veritable bonanza of lines — and line reads — from the "Star Wars" prequels that live on in infamy. Unfortunately for Hayden Christensen, the one line that truly stands apart from the rest was delivered by him, as Anakin Skywalker, during "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones." While Skywalker is charged with guarding Natalie Portman's Padme Amidala, the young Jedi laments the environs of his childhood home on Tatooine, declaring, "I don't like sand." Again, unfortunately for Christensen, the line became something of a rallying cry for detractors of the prequel trilogy. So much so, in fact, that it went on to achieve legitimate meme status during the 2010s.

As chronicled by KnowYourMeme, the line was included in a 2002 listicle titled, "64 Reasons to Hate 'Star Wars: Episode II,'" after which Entertainment Tonight included it in the article, "Here's what should be cut from 'Attack of the Clones.'" Over the ensuing years, it would spread across YouTube and Tumblr. For better or for worse (probably the latter), one might say the line has become Christensen's "Rosebud," which assuredly wasn't his or "Star Wars" creator George Lucas' intent with its presentation in the film.

In the wake of his "Star Wars" experience — even with some of the negative sentiment surrounding his on-screen exploits as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader — Christensen still had the look of a celluloid superstar in the making. He was young and good looking, and he had a strong performance alongside Kevin Kline in "Life as a House" under his belt. He was instantly recognizable around the world. However, the projects he attached himself to outside of "Star Wars," both while he was making the prequels and immediately after, weren't exactly vehicles for showcasing his viability as a leading man.

Films like 2006's "Factory Girl," 2007's "Awake," 2008's "Jumper," and 2009's "New York, I Love You" became punching bags for movie critics. Their scores on Rotten Tomatoes currently sit at 21%, 23%, 15% and 37%, respectively. Sure, there are a handful of gems among his past credits — 2003's "Shattered Glass" immediately jumps to mind. That film was highly regarded, and Christensen received a Satellite Award nomination for his efforts as the titular journalist, Stephen Glass. However, to swing and miss so many times in a row after a rough go with the prequels is probably enough to do any aspiring screen icon in.

Although Anakin Skywalker is arguably the pivotal character in the overarching plot of the "Star Wars" films, the character — like the actors who played him — was never quite the proverbial top banana in any of the saga's installments. In the original trilogy, Anakin was the foil for Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia and Harrison Ford's Han Solo. Then, in the prequels, he shared the spotlight with Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi, Natalie Portman's Padme Amidala, and Liam Neeson's Qui-Gon Jinn. Anakin's reality mirrors that of Hayden Christensen's journey as a thespian, as the Canadian star continuously shared the marquee with popular actors and, in some cases, generational talents.

It began with "Star Wars" with McGregor and Portman. Then, in "Jumper," it was future Academy Honorary Award-winner and "Star Wars" pal Samuel L. Jackson. "Awake" served as Jessica Alba's picture, and even "Shattered Glass" saw Christensen's costar Peter Sarsgaard net a Golden Globe nomination. "New York, I Love You," meanwhile, featured a number of big names — Natalie Portman, Orlando Bloom, Christina Ricci, Ethan Hawke, Robin Wright, Bradley Cooper. As his career was on the rise, Christensen rarely got the opportunity to be the top name on the call sheet in a project that truly mattered.

Regardless of which camp you fall into with your "Star Wars" fandom/hatred/indifference, there's no doubt that the prequels hit the mark where the dollars and cents were concerned. According to Box Office Mojo, Hayden Christensen's entries, "Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones" and "Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith" earned more than $1.5 billion worldwide at the box office combined. However, much like the critical reception of some of his later films, Christensen's other projects often received a lukewarm reception at the box office.

"Jumper" fared the best, grossing just over $225 million worldwide against a reported production budget of $85 million, according to Box Office Mojo. However, "Factory Girl" never quite got off the ground, grossing just $3.5 million. 2010's "Vanishing on 7th Street" grossed even less at about $1.7 million. Starring in box office flops proved to be a trend for Christensen, and this continued into his later career. In the movie business, where gate receipts ultimately rule all, it may have sent a message to studio executives that Christensen isn't a bankable star. 

There was a period in the years after the "Star Wars" prequels and follow-up projects like "Jumper" dropped in which Hayden Christensen all but vanished from the public eye. Following the 2010 release of "Vanishing on 7th Street," Christensen took a voice role in the educational animated film, "Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey," which was initiated by NASA and the Jet Propulsion Lab. He also made a cameo appearance as a security guard in the music video for Canadian alternative rapper k-os' song, "Zambony." After that, though, it would be four-plus years before audiences saw him on the big screen again. According to Christensen, the move to step away from the limelight was a calculated one.

"I guess I felt like I had this great thing in 'Star Wars' that provided all these opportunities and gave me a career, but it all kind of felt a little too handed to me," he told the Los Angeles Times in 2015. "I didn't want to go through life feeling like I was just riding a wave." So, he did the opposite; he decided to get out of the rat race despite what the consequences to his career might be. "You can't take years off and not have it affect your career," he confessed to the publication. "But I don't know — in a weird, sort of destructive way, there was something appealing about that to me."

Although Hayden Christensen stepped away from the spotlight and found that move appealing, he had other reasons beyond that "destructive" allure for hitting the pause button on his acting career. Specifically, he had a child to raise. In 2007, Christensen and Rachel Bilson — who met thanks to "Jumper" — started dating, and while the actors never married, their partnership would last for a decade. Bilson and Christensen ultimately called it quits in 2017, but Bilson gave birth to the couple's child, Briar Rose Christensen, three years earlier. This resulted in a new set of priorities for the man who played what was essentially Luke Skywalker's absentee father in the "Star Wars" films. In a 2024 interview with Fatherly, Christensen made no bones about the fact that parenthood had informed his big career decision.

"When I became a dad that changed everything in my life. It really reprioritized things for me. It's still the focus of my world," he said. It's difficult to argue that taking a years-long timeout didn't halt his momentum as an actor. However, Christensen has to be commended for putting his family over Hollywood fame. And if you're wondering if his kid has binged "Star Wars," the answer seems to be no, as Bilson doesn't want their daughter to see any of Christensen's famous films due to their content.

Clearly a lover of the craft of acting, Hayden Christensen actually made his return to the profession long before his "Star Wars" homecoming with "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and "Ahsoka." After the aforementioned hiatus, he jumped back into the fray with the films "American Heist," alongside Adrien Brody, "Outcast," alongside Nicolas Cage, and "90 Minutes in Heaven," alongside Kate Bosworth, all of which were released across 2014 and 2015. Unfortunately for the former Darth Vader, none of these projects did much to get him back into the conversation as an actor to lead a big-budget, blockbuster project.

"American Heist" was only shown on a handful of screens domestically and grossed just $2.9 million worldwide at the international box office, according to Box Office Mojo. It also garnered an aggregate critics' score of just 13% on Rotten Tomatoes. Meanwhile, neither of the other two films grossed more than $5.2 million or scored higher than 27%. So, while Christensen showed a willingness to get back out there and share his talents with the world, he hasn't been able to reclaim a spot as a leading man or key piece to an ensemble cast for a major production that moviegoers want to see.

Youth is always valued at a premium in Hollywood and in the entertainment world at large. For his part, Hayden Christensen was still a teenager when he was cast by George Lucas to play the role of Anakin Skywalker (and, eventually, Darth Vader). The blockbuster franchises to follow Christensen's prequel run, like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the "Hunger Games" saga, the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, and others, are largely launched on the backs of rising performers. Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth, for example, were both in their mid- to late-20s when they were cast as Captain America and Thor, respectively. Jennifer Lawrence — who ironically considers herself the worst part of "The Hunger Games" — was just entering her 20s when she became Katniss Everdeen. And the examples go on and on.

Past criticism and bad luck at the box office notwithstanding, the truth of Christensen's move to the cinematic sidelines may have more to do with the fact that he's largely aged out of the roles that make waves with the popcorn crowd. His recent resurgence with the "Star Wars" series on Disney+ has shown he still has a lot to offer, and fans have clearly come around on him if his now regular ovations at Star Wars Celebration are any indication. In the end, though, studio executives will often favor the next big thing over the tried-and-true hand.