Hayden Christensen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hayden Christensen
Christensen at GalaxyCon Columbus in 2024
Born	(1981-04-19) April 19, 1981 (age 44) Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Citizenship	Canada United States
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1993–present
Partner(s)	Rachel Bilson (2007–2017)
Children	1
Relatives	Tove Christensen (brother)

Hayden Christensen (born April 19, 1981) is a Canadian actor. He is most famous for playing Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader in the Star Wars movies and TV shows. He first appeared as Anakin in the prequel trilogy films, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). Later, he played the role again in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and Ahsoka (2023).

Christensen started acting on Canadian TV when he was 13. He later moved into American television in the late 1990s. He received good reviews for his roles as Sam in Life as a House and as Stephen Glass in Shattered Glass. Hayden has been nominated for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He also won the Cannes Film Festival's Trophée Chopard award. Some of his other well-known movies include Awake (2007), Jumper (2008), Takers (2010), and Little Italy (2018).

Early Life and Beginnings

Christensen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. His mother, Alie, is an American speechwriter, and his father, David, is a Canadian computer programmer. Hayden has Danish, Swedish, and Italian family roots. He is one of four children. His older brother, Tove Christensen, and two sisters, Hejsa and Kaylen, are also actors. He spent his summers on Long Island with his grandmother.

Hayden went to Unionville High School in Markham, Ontario. He was a good athlete in high school, playing competitive hockey and tennis. He also studied drama at the Actors Studio in New York City. He started acting in commercials, like one for Triaminic cough syrup in 1988, after going with his older sister to her agent's office.

Acting Career

First Roles (1993–2005)

Christensen's first acting job was in September 1993. He was 12 years old and had a small role in the TV series Macht Der Leidenschaft/Family Passions. The next year, he appeared in John Carpenter's movie In the Mouth of Madness. From 1995 to 1999, he acted in several films and TV shows. These included Harrison Bergeron, Forever Knight, Goosebumps, and Are You Afraid of the Dark?

He became more widely known for his role in the Fox Family Channel TV series Higher Ground in 2000.

In 2001, Christensen played a troubled teenager in Life as a House. This role earned him nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a SAG Award. He also won the National Board of Review's award for Breakthrough Performance of the Year. In 2002, Christensen acted in a play called This Is Our Youth in London.

He also received good reviews for the 2003 movie Shattered Glass. This film tells the true story of journalist Stephen Glass, who made up stories for magazines. In 2005, Christensen made his Broadway debut in a short play. He also took part in a "24 Hour Plays" event that raises money for charity in New York.

Star Wars Role

Christensen at the premiere of Star Wars: Episode III in Berlin in 2005

On May 12, 2000, it was announced that Christensen would play the adult Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). Jake Lloyd had played Anakin as a child in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999). The director, George Lucas, chose Christensen from about 1,500 other actors. Lucas said he picked Hayden because he "needed an actor who has that presence of the Dark Side". This was important to show Anakin Skywalker's journey to becoming Darth Vader.

When filming Revenge of the Sith, Christensen asked Lucas if a special Darth Vader suit could be made just for him. Lucas agreed, and a suit was designed to fit Hayden's body. It even had parts to make him look taller, like Vader's 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) height. However, the deep, robotic voice of Vader was provided by James Earl Jones, who first made the voice famous in the original Star Wars movies.

In a change made to the Star Wars original trilogy for the 2004 DVD release, Christensen appeared as the Force ghost of Anakin Skywalker in Return of the Jedi. He replaced another actor, Sebastian Shaw. Lucas wanted Anakin to return to his true self before he became evil. Christensen said he didn't know about this change beforehand.

Hayden Christensen's acting in Episode II and III received mixed reviews at first. However, many people now think his performance was good, especially considering the script and direction he was given.

People magazine named Christensen one of the 50 Most Beautiful People. For his role in Episode III, he won the MTV Movie Award for Best Villain.

Later Films (2006–2018)

Christensen with then-girlfriend Rachel Bilson filming Jumper in Rome in 2006

Between 2006 and 2007, Hayden starred in Awake with Jessica Alba. The movie is about a man who is awake but cannot move during heart surgery. He also co-starred in Factory Girl. Christensen then appeared with Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell, and Rachel Bilson in the movie Jumper, released in 2008. This film is about a young man who can teleport. Bilson and Christensen also acted together in a part of the movie New York, I Love You. Christensen was in Virgin Territory with Mischa Barton, which came out on DVD in 2008.

In October 2009, Christensen started filming the horror movie Vanishing on 7th Street. He also appeared in the crime drama Takers in 2010. Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey was another film where Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson worked together.

In 2010, Christensen sued USA Network. He claimed they used his idea for a TV show called Housecalls to create their show Royal Pains. A judge first dismissed the lawsuit, but in 2012, a higher court allowed the case to continue. The USA Network later settled the lawsuit.

In 2013, Christensen and his brother Tove started a film company called Glacier Films. They planned to make several smaller movies. Their first project was American Heist, starring Christensen, Adrien Brody, and Jordana Brewster. In 2014, he starred in the action movie Outcast with Nicolas Cage.

In 2015, Christensen starred in 90 Minutes in Heaven with Kate Bosworth. In 2017, he was in the movie First Kill with Bruce Willis. In 2018, he appeared in the romantic comedy Little Italy with Emma Roberts and also in The Last Man.

Return to Star Wars

In 2019, Christensen returned to his role as Anakin Skywalker. He provided a voice cameo for the character in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. He also received a voice credit for an episode of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, using old audio from Revenge of the Sith. In October 2021, it was announced that Christensen would play Anakin again in the Disney+ series Ahsoka.

In May 2022, Christensen played Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader again in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney+. Critics praised his performance, noting a big improvement from his earlier Star Wars films. He also appeared in a documentary called Obi-Wan Kenobi: A Jedi's Return. In 2023, Christensen appeared in four episodes of Ahsoka, where he was made to look younger using special effects. He wore his outfit from Revenge of the Sith and another outfit similar to Anakin's look in The Clone Wars. His acting in Ahsoka also received very positive reviews.

Since 2017, he has been a guest at several Star Wars Celebration conventions, meeting fans.

Personal Life

In 2007, Christensen started dating actress Rachel Bilson, whom he met while filming Jumper. They got engaged in December 2008. They broke up for a short time in 2010 but got back together a few months later. On October 29, 2014, their daughter was born. Christensen and Bilson separated in September 2017.

In 2007, Christensen bought a farm near Uxbridge, Ontario. He spent time renovating the property himself and learning about farming. In 2013, Christensen worked with a Canadian fashion company called RW&Co to create a men's clothing line inspired by his farm.

Christensen is a big fan of the Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team. In 2008, he made a public service announcement for the Do Something's Teens for Jeans Campaign. He has also modeled for Louis Vuitton and was the face of Lacoste's new fragrance, Lacoste Challenge. He was part of the RED's Lazarus Effect Campaign, which aims to raise awareness about fighting AIDS in Africa.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Hayden Christensen para niños