The Transformation Of Hayden Christensen From 12 To 40

You could definitely say that Hayden Christensen has been working as an actor for almost his whole life. According to his IMDb, Christensen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada but grew up in Ontario with his parents and three siblings. In fact, it's because of one of Christensen's sisters that he seemingly became an actor in the first place. He recalled (via Faze Teen), that when he was younger, his sister, then a commercial actor, had a meeting with a talent agent, but "there was no one to baby-sit me and I went along for the ride and they asked me if I wanted to do some commercials and I said sure." 

It was also in Christensen's native Canada that he got his start in show business at only age 12, when he landed a role in the soap opera "Family Passions." Yet it didn't take long for Christensen to get work in the United States, and as a teen he scored roles in some 90's fan favorites, including ​​"Goosebumps," "Are You Afraid of the Dark?," and "The Famous Jett Jackson." He also had a role in the Sofia Coppola cult classic, "The Virgin Suicides," in 1999.

While Christensen was still a virtual unknown, it wasn't a bad start for a young actor who would later be launched to fame in one of the biggest movie roles ever. Yet, first Christensen showed off his acting skills with other notable work.

Although he was cast in the role of Anakin Sywalker at age 19, Hayden Christensen's fame went interstellar when he was 21, when he joined one of the biggest franchises of all time with the May 2002 premiere of "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones." Casting director Robin Gurland revealed to StarWars.com that while Christensen was relatively unknown, as soon as they had their initial meeting, she "just knew that Anakin had walked in the door. I literally picked up the phone and called George [Lucas] and said, 'Anakin just walked in.'"

Christensen couldn't believe it himself, especially since he told Faze Teen, "My brother Tove and I have always been big fans." He recalled the moment when he got the phone call that he got the role saying, "I walked outside just stunned and in disbelief."

The actor did admit to SciFi Weekly, "The 'Star Wars' films are massive. They were huge in my childhood... So it was a little daunting at first." He explained (via The Buffalo News) how he couldn't let his nerves over the gravity of the role get the best of him. "It just really wasn't conducive to doing my best work. I try not to project my thoughts there – just focus on how I was going to play the character and not so much the repercussions of if it was done wrong because that just brings you down." 

When Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson were together, Christensen was seemingly having trouble finding his footing as an actor after appearing in the super popular "Star Wars" franchise. While "Jumper" was good for Christensen personally, in that he met his future girlfriend on the set, the sci-fi movie was panned by critics. While promoting the 2008 film, Christensen told the Toronto Star of his character, "It was exciting to get the chance to explore something new."

The timing wasn't great for Christensen, who was not particularly liked by "Star Wars" fans for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker. He was also already coming off a string of other flops, including the drama "Awake" and the comedy "Virgin Territory." Normally, that would hit hard, particularly for a star once referred to as Hollywood's next big thing. But Christensen also told the Toronto Star, "I don't really think about my career because the idea of a career is not something I can put a lot of thought into." He added, "I do the work that appeals to me and I pass on films that would probably benefit my career."

That next year, Christensen worked with Bilson again in the ensemble film "New York, I Love You." Given the romance that blossomed, as well as the wall his career seemed to have hit, it's not surprise the actor decided to physically remove himself from Hollywood and throw himself into an interesting new hobby.

Fans of Hayden Christensen or of USA's "Royal Pains" may not know that the two are oddly connected, despite Christensen never having appeared on the show as an actor. That's because, according to Deadline, Christensen claimed — in court no less — that he and his older brother, Tove Christensen (pictured above), had originally come up with the idea for the TV show. For those who don't know, "Royal Pains" is about a disgraced surgeon who acts as a "concierge doctor" to the super rich in the Hamptons (per IMDb). It aired on USA from 2009 to 2016.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the brothers, who owned the production company Forest Park Pictures at the time, claimed that in 2005, they proposed "a concierge doctor show," which they titled "Housecall," to executives at USA. They decided to sue the network after "Royal Pains" premiered and they saw the similarities.

The lawsuit was dismissed at first but the Christensens later won the right to an appeal in 2012. A judge had reportedly looked into their claims that the TV executives had met with the Christensens, "knowing full well that Plaintiffs had submitted those ideas in confidence and for economic gain, and with the clear expectation of payment in the event those ideas were utilized by USA Network." Finally in 2013, the lawsuit was settled after both sides agreed to "dismiss it with prejudice" and both agreed to "bear their own costs."

In 2015, Hayden Christensen opened up about why he decided to step back from acting and buy a farm far away from Hollywood at what should have been the height of his career. He told the Los Angeles Times that when he was chosen to portray Anakin Skywalker in the "Star Wars" prequels as a teenager, he wasn't quite ready for that level of fame. "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," Christensen explained, adding, "I didn't want to go through life feeling like I was just riding a wave."

Christensen had acknowledged in past interviews how the role affected him. In 2005, he told Sci-Fi Online, "It has been such a surreal experience that I still really have a hard time grasping the effect that this film and George Lucas has had on my life."

After taking some time off, Christensen shared that at 34-years-old he was ready to return to acting. He revealed, "You can't take years off and not have it affect your career." He added, "There was something in the back of my head that was like, 'If this time away is gonna be damaging to my career, then so be it. If I can come back afterward and claw my way back in, then maybe I'll feel like I earned it.'" 

Despite their breakup, Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson had to find a way to still come together to co-parent their daughter, Briar Rose. Bilson admitted in 2018 to People, "We're still kind of trying to figure it out...It's a tricky one. And I don't know that there is any right way, necessarily." She added that Briar was too young to totally understand her parents' split. Bilson explained, "We say Mommy has a house and Daddy has a house but she's pretty young to have an in-depth conversation."

Bilson suggested that at the time, her and Christensen couldn't let their feelings toward each other impact Briar. Bilson said, "No matter what I'm dealing with or how much it hurts or how much anger there is, it's just about her." She added, "She has that love that is unconditional so I think we're doing okay."

It seems that Christensen and Bilson eventually ironed out their co-parenting routine. Bilson revealed to Us Weekly in 2021, "It's been going pretty well," adding, "It's also nice because you're stuck in the house [amid the pandemic]. So, for her to have another house to go to, I think that's actually been helpful. So, all in all, it's been good." Bilson revealed the secret to their happiness to People the same year, saying, "Communication is key and just being on the same page, so everything's about the kid. As long as you put the kid first, everything will be okay."

While Hayden Christensen faced his fair share of career struggles in Hollywood over the years, the actor still managed to make enough money to have a very impressive bank account. Not only has the father of one starred in big budget films, which had to come with big paychecks, but he's also involved behind the scenes of the movie business. He and his brother, Tove Christensen, had produced some movies through their company, Forest Park Pictures, and in 2013, they joined... forces (get it?) with three other producers to launch Glacier Films, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Outside of his work as an actor and producer, Christensen (pictured above in January 2021) made money through brand endorsements, reports Celebrity Net Worth. Throughout his career, he modeled for Louis Vuitton, "was a brand ambassador for Lacoste," and worked with RW&Co on a limited clothing line of his own design. The star also gives back, working with charities DoSomething and RED. In terms of investments, real estate is part of Christensen's portfolio; in 2017, he sold the Sherman Oaks home he purchased with Rachel Bilson for $3.8 million after buying it for just $2.7 million in 2012. 

Because of all this, as of 2021, Christensen's net worth was around $12 million. It's clear that Christensen has transformed over the years from a child star to the successful adult actor he is today.