5 Little Known Facts About Ewan McGregor
Ever since the international film audience was first captivated by his performance as Mark Renton in Trainspotting, Ewan McGregor has continued to soar in popularity. Part of this is due to becoming a fan favorite among the Star Wars set, thanks to his incredible portrayal of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Today, the internet is aflame with excitement over McGregor once more in anticipating of the latest Star Wars Disney+’s series, Obi-Wan Kenobi, which both stars and is produced by Ewan McGregor. Slated as a somewhat dark series consisting of constant tests of Kenobi’s faith, it is expected to be one of Disney+’s most successful yet.
So - since McGregor probably going to be gracing your living room for the foreseeable future, you should probably know more about him, don’t you think?
His Uncle Was in the Original Trilogy
Denis Lawson is McGregor’s uncle and played pilot Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy. However, he was actually the second actor to play the character. Colin Higgins, who initially appeared as Antilles in A New Hope, had difficulty remembering his lines so he was replaced by Lawson. After his appearance in all 3 original trilogy movies and a handful of spin off’s, Wedge Antilles is considered the 24th most important character in the Star Wars universe.
He Was a High School Drop Out
McGregor attended Morrison’s Academy in Crieff, Scotland but dropped out when he was only 16 years old. He went on to work as a stagehand at Perth Theatre, while at the same time studying drama at a local technical college. He did this until the age of 18, when he moved to London, England to take his drama studies further at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was hired into his first professional, paid acting career on BBC drama Lipstick on Your Collar six months prior to graduation.
He Was Offended by the New Trilogy’s Initial Fan Reception
When the new Star Wars trilogy premiered in the late 1990s, the audience reception was lukewarm at best. "[It] was hard they didn't get well received,” he told the Hollywood Reporter. “That was quite difficult. They were universally not very much liked." On the other hand, McGregor’s performance in the films was extremely well received by fans, despite the grievances they held with the films themselves.
He Wore a Wig in Attack of the Clones
To give Obi Wan Kenobi a more mature look in the second installment of the new trilogy, McGregor grew a beard and sported a long hairstyle. However, the hair is not McGregor’s own, but actually a wig. McGregor complained that it was rather uncomfortable, not to mention ill-fitting. Tt became the center of many jokes among the cast and crew on the set, eventually earning the nickname the Jedi Mullet.
He Adopted a Mongolian Orphan
In 1995, McGregor married Eve Mavrakis and together they have four daughters, two natural and two adopted. One of those children, Jamyan (which is Mongolian for ‘golden hero’), was five years old and living in the streets as an orphan when McGregor encountered her during the filming of his motorcycle road trip documentary, Long Way Around. He and Mavrakis officially adopted her in 2006. This is also when McGregor became interested in becoming a UNICEF Ambassador when he saw the work the organization was doing in Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Mongolia while traveling and filming.
Sometimes characters feel even more interesting when they are played by interesting actors and actresses. Many Star Wars fans would agree that the uniqueness that is Ewan McGregor fits well with the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, plus not to mention the terrific job he does incorporating Alec Guinness’s acting style into his own to keep the character consistent. Mark your calendars for May 27th and enjoy watching story unfold!
(P.S: Don’t forget!! Wayout Toys & Collectibles has a huge collection of Star Wars figures! If you need an Obi-Wan Kenobi for your collection, better come snag one before they’re all gone. After the series premiers, they are sure to go fast!!)