Hollywood might want actors that have a wide range, but there is often a lot of typecasting going around. More often than not, fans end up seeing the same actor in a myriad of roles, which also could have been the case for Hayden Christensen. More often than not, young male actors are branded in a way to cater to a teen, mostly female audience, awarding them the title of teen heartthrob.
Hayden Christensen would have met a similar fate, and it was a branding that he was not very sure that he wanted as an actor. However, the actor would do a slew of roles that would keep him away from the label, before he would decide to quit acting.
Hayden Christensen hoped to be a serious actor
Christensen was much more interested in being a serious actor, telling The Guardian how it made him feel to be stuck with that label. He said:
I never really connected with that identity, I always wanted to be regarded as a serious actor. I guess I found that to also be a little overwhelming. But my focus has always been the work and everything else is kind of peripheral for me.
While the branding has worked for a lot of actors in Hollywood, even more actors have tried to steer away from the label in hopes of having a diverse acting career that can keep them relevant in the industry once they are past their prime. Actors like Robert Pattinson have had to work hard to shake off the label, thanks to his Twilight films, eventually landing roles like Batman as a way of breaking out of the mold.
Hayden Christensen’s involvement in the Filoniverse has injected new life into the post-Empire era
Anakin Skywalker’s presence in shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka has managed to bring a lot of Star Wars fans back to the waning stories of the Galaxy far far away. Anakin’s return to the story has added another layer of complexity to Ahsoka’s tale, who is now a master in her own right, one of the few teachers across the galaxy who have known the Jedi way firsthand and can pass it on.
Anakin seems to be on his way to playing an important role in the series to come, as Thrawn marches toward the galaxy with his specialized Storm Troopers and the Dathomiri Witches. It seems that the story of the Filoniverse will culminate with the Heir to the Empire storyline, which could see The Mandalorian, Ahsoka, and Luke Skywalker crossover to possibly fight a collation of the Empire’s remaining vestiges like Grand Admiral Thrawn, and a possibly surviving Moff Gideon.
Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, Ahsoka and Obi-Wan Kenobi can be streamed on Disney+
