Although it’s the greatest thing that ever happened to their careers, Star Wars also pretty much killed any future career Mark Hamill or Carrie Fisher may have had. Typecasting got them. The whole world could only see them as Luke Skywalker and Princess Liea.
The folks over at MSNBC are running an interesting little article right now with Hayden Christensen who talks about the idea of being typecast because of his Star Wars involvement. I like what he had to say:
“I haven’t had that problem so far,” said Christensen. Since being cast as since he was cast as Anakin Skywalker, the future Vader, he has starred in two smaller character pieces, “Life as a House” and “Shattered Glass,” and in an upcoming adaptation of Boccaccio’s “The Decameron.”
“I think it’s a little dated, to be honest, the whole typecast thing,” Christensen recently told The Associated Press. “I think 20 years ago, 30 years ago, there was only one blockbuster that came out every few years, and so audiences got such a strong association with the actor and the role in the film. Now, there’s four or five a summer.”
He’s absolutely right. And for those of you out there who think this kid can’t act (just because of what you’ve seen in Episode II), I would highly suggest you go rent Life as a House, in which I believe he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor.
how can you call hayden a girl. u FREAKS. get a life…. u r only sayin stuff like that cos u r jealous cos ur ugly and you’ll never get him cos u smell. i have more chance at getting him than any of u sad idiots who have no life so u have to insult people.( anyone who defends hayden this message doesn’t apply to you. Hayden rocks) Well done 2 every1 who doesnt think hes gay or a girl or a bad actor cos Hayden is Anakin and no’one else could play him as well. love jenna xxxxxx
hello hayden fans, what ever jenna said i agree. piss off you hayden haters, burn in hell. this site is for fans not enemies!!!! i like the hair in star wars 3. hayden looks very sexy when he is evil. love rachel xxx
As for the type casting question: I don’t think it’s over and I don’t think it is really the audience or the producer’s faults. With the first Star Wars sure Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher fell into the type casting trap but what about Harrison Ford? He was able to play many different roles and still is. I think it’s the roles they play after the fame that deffines them. Hayden is playing it smart. He is doing his big name blockbuster role that the world will always remember but on the side he is doing low budget dramas where he can show his true talent. He could have easily fallen into type casting trouble but he seems too intelligent for that. The smaller movies might not bring the big paycheck but stop worrying about money and do a small movie to show that you are an actor and not a character. I applaud his choice of roles.
You Freakin fools Haydens a damn good actor and if you cant see that your an a**hole pardon my french but go to H-E-L-L. Hayden rocks luagh it up b*tch. l8er Hayden you rock. if you see natalie and ewan tell them you guys rock. and ill keep practicin my sax.
BIGGEST STARWARS FAN EVER!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Hayden I am turning 14 on 12-25-05 and I have been dreaming about the day I auditioned for a role in a movie and got the part. I am very talented at acting and singing so says my friend, but for now the only thing i am singing into is my sax. I have stage fright if I’m by myself. I thought maybe you could help me out. I think your a great actor your my favorite. BIGGEST STARWARS FAN EVER. Help me PLEASE.
Here is a link to the most brilliant site dedicated for Hayden:
http://desiringhayden.net
dear hayden.
i am 15 years old and i live in a small town in central texas called luling. hayden i have dreamed of being an actress/model for as long as i can remember and since you are my all time favorite actor i chose to write you to see if maybe you caould help me make my dream come true.
love your biggest fan,
abby
p.s.dont take this as a joke i know you get a lot of emails and all but this 1 is serious.
also if you can could you please email me back at [email protected]
definitly agree with meg………im coming out with a webpage that is completly devoted to hayden if any of you guys r interested……..
I love him he’s great and awsome! I wish he was in more movies!
oh by the way, just looking at him makes a movie worth seeing!!!!!!!!!!
you guys r crazy if you think hayden can’t act. he is by far one of the best young male actors of all time, that’s not an opinion. That’s a fact. LAAS seriously proves that and who else would be able to play off GL’s sucking script. only hayden my friends. I may only be 15 but I say HAYDEN ROCKS!!!!! oh yeah to those people who think hayden sucks so badly, why in the WORLD r u even on this blog in the 1st place!?!?!?!? oh and by the way i am dying to see life as a house seeing that i’ve heard it is so so so good. is it really?
hayden i am 15 years old and i live in a small town in central texas called luling. hayden i have wanted to be an actress for as long as i can remember and since you are my all time favorite actor i chose to write you to see if maybe you could help me make my dream come true.
love your biggest fan,
abby
p.s.this is not a joke i know you get a lot of emails but this 1 is serious. if you can please email me back at [email protected]
Hayden Christensen is an awsome actor! He is also one of my fav. celeb’s!! I couldn’t think of a better actor to play Anakin Skywalker. Why are you people saying that Michael Rosenbaum would have been a better Anakin? Are you people crazy? I mean he is a great actor but nobody see’s him as Anakin. Keep up the great work Hayden…. you are AWSOME!!!!
i think hayden is a brill actor and if he ever wants to quit it he should not and he has made me think that i should do drama 4 my gcse becuse my teachrer says i have talent and no i am not saying this so i can be a actress he has really made me think. before i saw him in all his film i was like i don’t waht 2 talk drama but know i do and i think that he a brill and cute but he should stay in acting and hopefully he had done the same to every young person out therehas he has doneto me. he is a brill actor and anyone how doesn’t like him must be mental that what i think
keep up the good work hayden luv lauren xxxx
My middle name is Ethan :) Thanks for the comments, you can rot in hell.
My middle name is Ethan :) Thanks for the comments, you can rot in hell.
he is a bad anikin and is wimpy and pms-like. he needs a training bra and some tampons
You lot are a bunch of pathetic loosers, don’t u hav a life?
what’s hayden’s middle name? does he have1?
He is a great guy-hot 2!i totally think that he has deserved everything that he’s gotten.
Is Hayden Christensen even married to anyone and if who??????
rich says, “Simone, Simone, Simone…”
Somebody calling me? I liked the way you called my name. :-)
I hope you come back Rich, and of course you know that I dont expect everybody to agree with my opinion of Hayden, but I will stand by it. And it’s okay if you think he sucks, not just for Hayden but for any other actor you dont like too.
Cheers.
Hayden is the worst actor I’ve ever seen, the critics agree that he is a horrible actor, and he probably knows it himself. I propose we all tie him to a tree and leave him for the wolves. For ruining one of the greatest movie franchises in the world I say F*** you Hayden :P
Rich,
You are a numbnut.
Simone, Simone, Simone, and Gypsy. HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN SUUUUUUUUUCKKKKKS! its not rocket science. He won’t have to worry about type casting much unless he wants a role that doesn’t include a wimp. Darth Vader is the baddest of all time. hmmmm. Haden ….. Darth Vader. Whiney, Whiney baby……..Dark Lord. Keep smokin that stuff lucas. The answer is anyone could have played a better anakin. anyone. anyone! Like “where are you going?” “to find my mother.” awful,awful. “I try, master.” crap.
Next of course to jar jar in phantom, haden ruins clones horribly. Never have I seen such a bad actor. “hate them their like animals i killed them all even the baby ones blah blah blah. whiney. Ever notice that he doesn’t nail a single line convincingly? I think a hand puppet could have done a better job. Homer Simpson, or Ricky Schroeder even. I think though they should have used Ricky Ricardo as Jengo Fett though, but that’s another story. I think you two think he’s cute,am I right? that’s ok. but to say he is that good of an actor…. jawa please.
Peter, it’s MICHAEL Rosenbaum, not JONATHAN Rosenbaum, and I kinda agree with you. Michael’s a good actor, too. No offense Hayden! Oh, and happy belated Birthday!
P.S.–Elisabeth…that’s just creepy. Go see a shrink or something. Gosh!
You are pathetic, Elisabeth.
I don’t even know why I commented to you, you’re so pathetic.
Hello Everyone!
I would like to commend those who have said wonderful things about my husband, Hayden. We eloped over the weekend and I am happy my love is appreciated in so many ways. I hope you will continue to enjoy my dear Hayden’s work as an actor. I am so happy after our wedding and I had to tell someone about our marriage! Hayden is my deepest love, with such a beautiful mind, body, and soul. I am so lucky that Hayden loves me so deeply and worships me in his every word and glance. Hayden’s acting is very natural, and I can he puts his heart and soul in his work, as I can tell from knowing him so personally. Well, I should go, must pack for our honeymoon in Europe!
With Lots of Love,
Elisabeth Christensen
I just wanted to tell Hayden Christensen happy birthday!
hayden has to be one of the best actors of our time , i hope he gos far …. and as work gos, i dont think he will have to fight for it ;-)
Yes, hayden is a great actor, and a very down to earth, non-boasting type person. I haven’t met him but I’ve read the interviews and seen the tv interviews. The role that he played which impacted me the most was Sam, from LAAH. But Anakin is very catchings cause I want to jump into the film and help him stay as a good guy.
Hayden won’t have any trouble snagging roles, but Star wars just opened up the door.
**Visit http://desiringhayden.net/hands.html for more info, pix, and interactive fun.
Aherm Jen, he is, isnt he? *winks*
Hayden will have no problem getting more and more roles,he is a wonderful and talented actor,I admire how he is,not going with the Hollywood scene like other actors.He’s got a good head on his shoulders.Plus he’s so so so so beautiful!!!
{{{Meliiiiiiiii}}}
This is exactly why I like you girl! You have got good taste in actors, and again we agree on Hayden. I am not even the least worried about how he will pull it off in Episode III, I mean just looking at the trailer with that Grim Reaper scene, the “Tragedy” tv spot trailer where he screamed at Padm√ɬ©, “the Jedi turned against me, dont you dare turn against me!” My, my I thought that was powerful.
I adore Hayden – I think he has a lot of potential to grow into a great actor. I’ve enjoyed both Life is a House and Shattered Glass. Two movies I always use to defend him when people say he can’t act. I’ve even managed to see a couple of episodes of TV series Higher Ground on cable, which helped get him noticed when it came to casting Anakin.
I live in Newfoundland, Canada and I don’t support canadian actors unless they deserve it… not just because their canadian movie props.. Jim Carry!! Nuff said…
And I think James Franco could have played Anain,why not?……GO PETER GO!
Hiya gypsy, couldnt agree with you more.
I also couldnt think of another actor toplay him, oh I’ll be damned! LOL
one of the other that i like about christensen is not only is he a good actor but he’s a canadian. gotta support my canadian entertainers! even though i live right smack in the middle of the states.
You could cast anyone as Anakin and it would have sucked. Everyone in the prequels has sucked. Liam Neeson , who is a brillant , actor sucked in the movie. You’d have to replace the director. Not the actors.
thanks for that image Peter. rosenbaum would make a nice anakin.
lucas, get your priorities straight; write good shit and get the right actors THEN upgrade your hardware/software. underneath all that cgi you would think there was something good? nope. unless i missed something with episodes 1 and 2. a whole lot of nothing with bright flashing lights all over the place.
i love ‘life as a house’ but can’t stand christensen’s voice. it’s long winded, drawn out and whiny (reminds me of stevie from ‘malcom in the middle’ but more high pitched and cracking). his voice is almost as annoying as mischa barton and joey lauren adams’ voices combined.
james franco? hahahahaha. too funny
this is gonna seem weird.. but I got to ask anyway…. naw nevermind I wont…
Jonathan Rosenbaum, who plays Lex Luthor in Smallville. Or James Franco, Goblin´s son in Spiderman.
The Son of James Earl Jones, goddamned !!! Flynn where are you !!! It is not to late !!!
Simone, your question pretty much dealt a deathblow to this thread. Who else can play Anakin, who should have played Anakin? Answer: No one.
I have always wanted to ask this, if Hayden Christensen didnt play Anakin Skywalker, and this doesnt mean that I am not happy with his performance because I truly am, who else do you think would have been another actor who could have breathed life to the role?
I don’t think it’s his fault a lot of people think he can’t act, it’s George Lucas’ absurdly bad dialogue.
No one could come off as a good actor coupled with that, however I’ll see if I can rent one of Hayden’s other films off of Netflix which has a wide variety of over 50,000 titles and moderately priced! :p
I loved both Shatterd Glass and Life as a House , but in a way all three of those charecters were all sort of the whiney guy. I wouldn’t classify him as GREAT yet , but he does have potential.
Shattered Glass was a very good movie that I’m sure many people missed. Christensen was really good in it.
Ahhhh…Hayden Christensen. He is indeed one of my favorite actors and not just because of his involvement with Star Wars because he is without a doubt a very good actor.
In 2002, before “Attack of the Clones” was released, I have had the privilege of seeing him in a West End run of K. Lonergan’s play, “This is Our Youth” where he performed alongside Jake Gyleenhall and Anna Paquin, and he blew me away. He was just amazing. And yes, I have seen his brilliant performance in “Life as a House” where co-star Kevin Kline had only good things to say about his performance and of course last year’s “Shattered Glass”.
He definitely can act, and come May 19, I am sure that with his transformation to the Dark Side now complete, we will see what he is really capable of.