Hayden Christensen Reveals He Had A 'Vader Movement Specialist' On 'Kenobi' Set

Actor Hayden Christensen already knows how to play Darth Vader. He first played the character in “Revenge of the Sith” after he lost to Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) on Mustafar.

However, it’s been over a decade since Christensen appeared in the “Star Wars” prequel trilogy, and both Lucasfilm execs and fans really want to see Darth Vader at his best in the upcoming Disney+ live-action “Obi-Wan Kenobi” series.

And that’s the reason why, as Christensen told Entertainment Weekly, they assigned him with his own Vader movement specialist.

When asked about Darth Vader walking confidently in his new suit of armor, Christensen explained “that was something that we spent a lot of time working on.” He said that the suit “really just informs the way you move.”

Christensen said that they had a woman on set who served as a “Vader movement specialist and she made sure we were always in the right ballpark.” That woman was later identified as choreographer Joann Jansen.

Although it sounds like a fun title, Christensen revealed that she had a pretty important job. “Certainly, we wanted to make sure that we were staying true to how Vader moves and how we perceive him, and wanting to keep all that relatively consistent,” he said, although he admitted that it was “challenging” to move around in the armor.

When they were filming “Revenge of the Sith,” Christensen revealed that it wasn’t any easier to move around in the classic Darth Vader suit. He recalled what it was like when he donned the iconic suit for the first time while they were filming Episode III.

“I was really having a tough time moving around in it, and it was all extremely rigid,” Christensen recalled. “And I said that to George [Lucas], and he said, 'It's okay. This is your first time in this suit. So it should feel very mechanical and maybe not very natural.'”

However, Christensen noted that “Obi-Wan Kenobi” takes place ten years after the film so Darth Vader has had “a lot of time to acclimate” to it. However, Christensen said that, for him, it’s still “a full-on challenge, just trying to get to set in that suit.”

Of course, the publication couldn’t resist asking him how he manages to use the bathroom dressed as Darth Vader. Christensen joked, “That poses a whole other set of challenges” but did not go into detail.

Now, this is 10 years after that. So he's had a lot of time to acclimate. But again, it's a full-on challenge, just trying to get to set in that suit.”

When asked about any fight scenes with Obi-Wan, Christensen teased that fans will “get a little bit of that.”

“I think what they did in Rogue One was very strong and that resonated with everybody, but there are a few nods to Anakin's style,” he added. “But his style changes and evolves as he tries to fight in his armor now.”

Although James Earl Jones famously voiced Darth Vader in several films and “Star Wars” projects, it’s unknown at this time if Jones’ iconic voice will appear on the show. As for Christensen’s lines of dialogue, he admitted, “Obviously, we stay true to voice that we all know and love. But no, I do know how I feel Anakin would sound with all of those injuries, and how that would've possibly affected his vocal abilities. And it's my own sort of version of it.”

However challenging the suit may be, Christensen is just glad to be back to a galaxy far, far away. “It's really exciting, man. I think the general anticipation is there. It's all been really positive and I've enjoyed the experience,” he said.

Christensen will also reprise his role as Darth Vader for the upcoming “Ahsoka” series, which is expected to be released sometime in 2023. As for now, fans can enjoy the six-episode limited series of “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” which is currently available to stream on Disney+.