There's more to me than Darth Vader: Christensen

Last Updated: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 | 1:54 PM ET

CBC Arts

Hayden Christensen says he's not worried about being known only for playing Darth Vader, the villain in the Star Wars series.

In fact, the Canadian actor says he believes that typecasting is a thing of the past.

"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," Christensen said in a recent interview with the Associated Press.

Hayden Christensen appears as Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi Knight who becomes Darth Vader, in 'Revenge of the Sith.' (AP photo)

Christensen's remarks come as Star Wars fans gear up for the May 19 release of Revenge of the Sith, the third movie in George Lucas' prequel trilogy.

Some of the actors who appeared in the first batch of Star Wars films found it hard to find other roles, but not Christensen. "I haven't had that problem so far," he said.

Mark Hamill, to name the most obvious example, will forever be remembered as Luke Skywalker – who, in the mythology of the films, is the son of Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi Knight played by Christensen who turns into Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith.

Christensen has done a much better job of cultivating his career. He has had critically acclaimed turns in smaller movies like 2003's Shattered Glass, and will appear in an upcoming adaptation of Boccaccio's Decameron.

Which isn't to say Christensen thinks he will ever totally emerge from Darth Vader's shadow.

"Obviously, it's a very iconic role, so I think inevitably that will always be the strongest association," the young performer said.

"I'm happy about that, to sort of always be remembered as Darth. That's what people come up to me and shake my hand for. That's cool."

Christensen also confirmed recently that Lucas got a helping hand with the script for Revenge of the Sith. In an interview with Playboy, he said the rumours about playwright Tom Stoppard working on the dialogue for the film are true.

Stoppard, known for stage works like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, gave the Lucas-penned screenplay a more "human" dimension, Christensen said.

Critics and Star Wars enthusiasts alike lambasted Lucas for the dialogue in the last Star Wars film, 2002's Attack of the Clones.

Christensen, whose character comes from a desert planet, was saddled with lines such as "I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything is soft and smooth."

Lucas has said that Revenge of the Sith will be the final Star Wars film, although there are rumours that the saga will continue as a television series.