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Credit: LucasfilmThe Obi-Wan Kenobi star didn’t hold back…
After nearly 50 years since his debut, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness/Ewan McGregor) got his own story, his own day in the sun. Understandably, with that much time for fans to think and theorize, there was a lot of expectation when it came to the Obi-Wan series. In many ways, it lived up to those expectations, and in many ways, it did not, but this star wasn’t going to let those criticisms get to him.
Related: Season Two of Obi-Wan Kenobi Isn’t a ‘Star Wars’ Priority
Obi-Wan added some amazing moments to the Star Wars canon. It established a relationship between Ben Kenobi (McGregor) and Princess Leia (Vivien Lyra Blair), which makes her actions and responses in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) much more understandable. It gave Hayden Christensen redemption and time to shine, and it delivered one of the most emotional scenes in the Star Wars canon when Obi-Wan (McGregor) and Anakin/Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) meet face to face one last time.
Still, people took issue. With more than a little controversy, fans took issue with Moses Ingram’s Reva and the Grand Inquisitor (Rupert Friend) himself. The main complaint with the latter is his differences from his previous appearance in Star Wars: Rebels, which depicted him as a being from Utapau, played by Jason Isaacs. Despite a brilliant performance from Friend, fans couldn’t help comparing the two, especially their appearances.
In fact, that very issue is still apparently a sticking point for many fans, as evidenced by these recent comments from the actor. The Direct reported on a Q&A given by Rupert Friend at a recent convention, in which one fan asked if they’d discussed making his head bigger and longer like the cartoon. After a brief joke, Friend responded directly:
“Yeah, the key word there, my friend, is ‘cartoon.'”
Friend’s explanation for the difference in the appearance of the Grand Inquisitor from Rebels to Obi-Wan was simply the difference between a cartoon and live-action and left little room for interpretation. The actor went on to answer another question, this time about the difference between his and Isaacs’ interpretation of the character and if he had taken any inspiration from Isaacs:
“So when I got this role, I wasn’t familiar with the character, or the Inquisitors, or anything like that. So for me, it was completely fresh. New world, new character, and I wanted to relate to that in my own instinctive way first, but I then was made aware of Jason’s interpretation. The last thing I wanted to do was an impersonation of someone else’s interpretation. So I let my own instincts come through first, and then I had a look at what he’d done, which I thought was terrific.”
While it may not be the approach that many fans may have been looking for, Friend’s response is what many actors would deem proper. He learned about the character and made it his own first, then took a look at what others had done. It brought a new life and uniqueness to the character and one that, Friend added, Jason Isaacs himself approved of, though not without a little friendly jibe here and there.
Related: Sequel Actor Weighs In On ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Controversy
Obi-Wan Kenobi is currently streaming on Disney+, and while it hasn’t been renewed for a second season yet, many stars of the series, including Ewan McGregor, are hoping for one more. The series stars Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader, Moses Ingram as Reva, Vivien Lyra Blair as Princess Leia, and Rupert Friend as the Grand Inquisitor. The series follows Obi-Wan (McGregor) as he tries to save Leia (Blair) and maintain his secrecy following the purge of the Jedi.
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