One of the most exciting announcements from Star Wars Celebration is that Hayden Christensen will reprise his role as Anakin Skywalker in Season 2 of Ahsoka. Following this revelation, we had the opportunity to sit down with Christensen to discuss his return to the role after nearly two decades, his appreciation for the darker elements of Star Wars, and his favorite Anakin meme.
Our conversation kicked off with a discussion about potential future Anakin stories Christensen would like to explore. He expressed a strong interest in revisiting the Clone Wars era, a period largely covered in animation with Matt Lanter voicing Anakin. "I would love to get to do some more of the Clone Wars-era," Christensen shared. He believes this era offers a rich backdrop for storytelling and mentioned that his friend Ewan McGregor would also be enthusiastic about such a project. "It's a cool look. It's a cool sort of period in Star Wars and I think there are great stories that we could tell there. So who knows, maybe one day," he added, acknowledging that it would require some "aging" magic to make it happen. Despite this, Christensen remains eager to further explore Anakin's journey, including delving deeper into the Darth Vader timeline.
Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker in Ahsoka. Image Credit: Lucasfilm
As we approach the 20th anniversary of "Revenge of the Sith" on May 19, 2025, we discussed the film's darker themes. Christensen praised George Lucas's bold choices, appreciating how the film handled heavy topics while still making them accessible. "George Lucas made some very bold choices and I love that he did that," he said. "However, he did it in a way that we could still digest everything. For example, Anakin is killing younglings, but we don't actually see it. But yeah, I like it when Star Wars goes dark. That works for me."
Reflecting on returning to the role after almost 20 years, Christensen noted a deepened connection to Anakin. "Of course it feels different. I'm different," he said. "I've had 20 years of life that I didn't have before, and that just sort of changes your perspective on things. But in a lot of ways, I feel even more connected to Anakin now than I ever have because I've had more time to think about him and sort of try to understand him." He views this return as a unique and enriching acting experience, feeling fortunate to have the opportunity.
Our discussion then shifted to the broader Star Wars saga and the ongoing debate about the optimal viewing order of the films. Christensen remained open-minded, saying, "I don't know that there is a right way or a wrong way, and I think there's merit to both. I think George Lucas would like you to start with episode one and experience the story in a linear fashion, but there's definitely something to be said for starting with episode four. I've thought about it myself as I have yet to show my daughter the films... I mean she is going to see her dad do some sort of gnarly stuff."Finally, we couldn't resist asking about the numerous Anakin memes that have circulated online. While he's familiar with the infamous "sand" meme and enjoys the one with him and Padmé in the field, his current favorite is a more recent one. It features Emperor Palpatine pleading with Anakin not to let Mace Windu kill him, to which Anakin responds, "He's just reflecting your lightning back you... just stop shooting lightning!"
