When George Lucas plucked Hayden Christensen out of the big nowhere to star as young Darth Vader in his latest Star Wars epic, heads were scratched across the galaxy. But Christensen's performance as a troubled teen in Life as a House should reassure doubters that Lucas knew exactly what he was doing.
Less than two years ago, who had even heard of Hayden Christensen? Sure, he's been acting since he was 13, both here and in his native Canada, but it's not like millions caught him as the kid who got sexually trifled with by his stepmom on the short-lived TV series "Higher Ground" or in his blink-and-you'll-miss-it part in The Virgin Suicides.
Christensen's days of blissful anonymity are officially history. He's about to be examined through a jeweler's loupe in Life as a House, in which he's very persuasive as the rebellious, sexually malleable offspring of a divorced couple, played by Kevin Kline and Kristin Scott Thomas.
To fans around the globe, though, Christensen's appearance in that high-toned potential Oscar draw is merely an appetizer for the feast to come--his debut as Anakin Skywalker, the fledgling Darth Vader in next year's Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Advance word is that director George Lucas has already branded him the real thing. If he's feeling the undue weight of the Force upon his 20-year-old shoulders, Christensen scarcely shows it. Clad in casual threads topped by a baseball hat that reads "Free," sitting at a sun-dappled table in the outdoor garden at the West Hollywood tea-and-tonic emporium Elixir, Christensen comes off as a shy, serious, soft-spoken type who's taking a wild ride in pretty good stride. Besides the opportunity to work with Kline, Christensen was attracted to Life as a House because of its riskiness. "The script, as written, if done wrong, could play out like one long soap opera," he says. "It seemed it would be exciting and challenging to walk that fine line. I also felt the role was an important one--not just to the story, but to an audience who could relate to him, and feel for him. This was a real actor's role."
It's quite a role, all right, one that involves a near-suicide, serious pill-popping, major parental blowouts, a bout with male prostitution, a provocative stunt in the shower with a neighbor's daughter, hair dyed goth black and lots of eye shadow. "There's a slight hesitation when you're involved with something that has a certain level of risk," he says. "But I could relate to things in the script, like my character's insecurities, and I felt comfortable exploring some of those emotions."
Even though it's like he's got a light saber pointed at his temples when it comes to revealing any Star Wars secrets, Christensen's full of stories about the experience. "It all seems unreal, still," he admits. "Maybe I was even a little too comfortable going in for the audition. I just felt it was too far-fetched that anything would come to fruition, so I took extra joy in getting to meet George Lucas and screen-testing opposite NatalieÉ Making the film was the best summer of my life. I'm part of a movie trilogy that is one of the best of all time, and I feel very special to be a part of it."
And was getting to know Natalie Portman part of what made it so special? Choosing his words with care, he says, "She's a good actress. She was very professional and amazing to work off. It's easy to look at her and be absorbed by her."
With Life as a House behind him, Christensen is considering tackling another movie and, possibly, a play in New York or Toronto before the media blitz for Star Wars. At the moment, he says, "I don't get hassled by fans too much, but I imagine it'll become more difficult."