Hayden Christensen was once upon a time the biggest star in Hollywood! The actor made his on-screen debut in the Star Wars films when he was only 21-years-old, landing the role of Anikin Skywalker in 2002's Episode II: Attack Of The Clones.
The Canadian-born actor returned for Revenge Of The Sith, reprising his role as Anikin, however, despite landing roles following his galactic take on playing Darth Vader, many fans believe that Star Wars ended up becoming a curse for Christensen.
Although the film franchise went on to skyrocket the careers of many, could it have really ruined Hayden Christensen's career? Let's dive in!
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Was 'Star Wars' Good For Hayden's Career?
When it comes to the Star Wars empire, Hayden Christensen played a pivotal role! The actor was cast when he was only 19, 21 at the time of the premiere, and it was safe to say that Christensen would go on to be the next big thing in Hollywood.
Well, despite his stellar performance in the films, fans believe that Hayden taking on such a big role was actually a disservice to his career, considering the actor was continuously put into a Star Wars box, and constantly cast with that role in mind.
The film series did, in fact, go on to catapult the careers of many of its actors, including Samuel L. Jackson, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, and Oscar Isaac, to name a few, all of whom have gone on to experience continued success in the industry.
As for Christensen, the actor didn't seem to have had as polarizing an experience as many actors who came after him. Although Hayden might appear to be one of the few who caught the Star Wars curse, there were a few others who also didn't have the best time.
John Boyega went on to reveal that he thought the role actually affected his romantic life, a similar sentiment that Ahmed Best, who played Jar Jar Binx, and Ian McDiarmid, both of whom played young Anikins, sparking the question, was it the role that was cursed?
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Hayden didn't let the role stop him from acting for good! The actor went on to appear in a handful of films, including Awake, alongside Jessica Alba, Factory Girl, Apprentice Night, and Jumper. The actor's time working on Star Wars and many other roles throughout his career has allowed him to amass a net worth of $12 million. Not too shabby, Hayden!
While the actor has yet to land a role as big as his character in Star Wars, he's still managed to find success on-screen. Additionally, his career wasn't the only thing he had going for him.
In 2008, Hayden met actress, Rachel Bilson. The duo is said to have hit it off quite well, which makes sense considering they were engaged a year later. Despite remaining together for 10 years and sharing a child with one another, the duo officially parted ways in 2018.
Now, while the actor might not be the fondest over his time in the George Lucas films, he has since had a change of heart and can look back on the experience with a few laughs.
During an interview with Vanity Fair, Christensen mocked a few of his lines, making it clear that he isn't at all phased by what fans think the role did to his career.
Next: Why Rachel Bilson And Hayden Christensen Split After 10 Years Of Marriage
