Obi-Wan is Obi-Wan ... McGregor turning into a Guiness..?

Ewan McGregor acts like a spoiled brat.

I love his acting, and I think he's great for the role of Obi-Wan, but I do tire of his constant bashing of the movie. If he's sick of all the Star Wars stuff, just shut up about it.

It's extremely unprofessional for him to be criticizing GL and his decisions all the time, specially when the movie is not EVEN OUT !

I agree with Oakessteve. When the normal members criticize the title, nothing is said. But when someone like Ewan says it, suddenly it's a big deal. It doesn't matter if he's an actor or one of us fans, he has the right to say what he wants. I'd rather see him be open about this than lie about it like a lot of actors do.

Sorry, but a hypocrite like McGregor doesn't elicit a lot of symphaty when he blasts things like the script of a movie he signed up from.

It's very idiotic of him to say the script was so bad, when he signed up for the movie. He gets the $$$ and fame, and then takes little jabs here and there to seem "cool" or "independent".

What a fool.

Um, Ewan was among the first to say that Episode II had a good script.

True but he was also the first to say the title was bad, hahaha.

But he can say what he wants. I think it's funny that he'd say the title of a movie he was in was "terrible".

I get the feeling he thinks Lucas is kind of a hack.

> Um, Ewan was among the first to say that Episode II had a good script.

He didn't exactly say that, but I was talking about his comments with regards to Episode 1. He blasted the script, yet signed up to do the movie and the sequels.

From Cinescape.com:

"Ewan McGregor has never held back on expressing his opinion regarding the STAR WARS franchise, and word of the film's new title is no exception.
While talking to the UK Popcorn website, McGregor was asked what he thought of the title being STAR WARS: EPISODE II - ATTACK OF THE CLONES. McGregor didn't hold back, saying, "It's a terrible, terrible title."
Mind you, he did say this with a smile on his face, but... ouch! "

I thought it was interesting that they added the part about Ewan having a smile on his face. I haven't seen that reported anywhere else.

Well, he signed up way before he ever saw a script.

I'm amused by how some of you feel the need to defend McGregor by saying stuff that sounds like "when John Doe says it sucks, you don't bash him - but when Ewan McGregor says it sucks, you jump down his throat!"

Yeah. Is that really so strange? ?

I think Ewan has gone a few steps too far. We all got the point back in 99 when he complained about bluescreens and so on. I thought, well that's his opinion and if he didn't like the movie and didn't enjoy making it - fair enough. But then he never stops! Every bleeding time there's something about SW in the media these days Ewan is there telling everyone how awful it is! TPM wasn't very good, and now of course - the title of EpII is terrible, terrible.

I'm sick and tired of it!

Unless Ewan says all this in that way of his, like just saying stuff he doesn't really mean and smiling it off - that's fine. But if he really means all the crap he says about SW... then he really is turning into a Guiness, like I feared when I started this thread. He sounds like he resents SW. But if he does, he should have enough respect for all the people that work their bleeding bottoms of making those movies that just happened to propel him to superstardom, to keep that mouth shut! Blimey! At least until it's all said and done, and he can go grumpy on SW after 2005.

This endless bashing is pitiful. Phtew!

EDIT:
Come to think of it...
Journos have been all over him for the past 2 years, wanting him to talk crap about Lucas, the script, Binks and everything else. Maybe he's just sick of it? He's tired of trying to defend SW (which is rather pointless anyway, as these films are in no way in need of a defence), so everytime someone sticks a tape recorder in his face and asks what he thinks of anything SW, he'll just say he thinks it sucks. 'Cause that's what they want to hear, and it should be bleeding obvious that by actually signing up for a 3 movie Kenobi deal, "SW sucks" is not quite what Ewan thinks.

Wow, did I just argue with myself...?

I knew if I looked far enough, I could find someplace for these today on the boards. Without further ado, some of the positive things Ewan has said about Star Wars which haven't made headlines:

"I think of Star Wars movies as something unique. I don't see them just as studio blockbusters."

"He unlocked it, asked me if I was ready, and inlaid in black felt there were these nine or ten light sabre handles. And I just about really shat myself. And I took out these precious things and chose my handle and realized how much these things were ingrown in the psyche. I grew up on them." Dad I've broken me light sabre again!"

"These movies stand on their own, they're unique. They're lengends, they're kind of modern fables-they were for me as a kid"

"The first take, the light sabre literally flew out of my hands. No one tells you the sabres have about 10 "D" batteries in them-they burn your hands! I tossed the sabre up in the air and it ended up hitting a technician in the head."

"Aaaaah! I'm in Star Wars!"

"When I first met R2D2, I almost went down to the ground"

"My wife was sitting with a lot of her mates and I go 'I worked with R2-D2 today,' and they all looked at me and went, 'Who?' I guess it's a boy thing. The chicks just don't get it."(naw ibo here--we know this last sentence isn't quite true

"I remember standing looking in the mirror with my cloak," he says, "It is incredibly cool, and looks good."

"...I'm looking forward to the next two."

"...It's Star Wars. Every day, it's Oooooh!"

"I've always liked them primarily because they're like fairy tales to me. They have characters who we understand, like the prince and the princess, and the jester and the wizard, and they're kind of old-style fairy tales, which I relate to, and it's just fantastic for kids. And then, good versus evil, the religious or spiritual side of things with the Force - it operates on all different kinds of levels. However it's a good laugh to watch. But I don't see it just as entertainment.
"I understand that it's a very complex piece of work, and they all are. And there's comments, like the scene when we arrive at a planet that's entirely one city (Coruscant), and the traffic is in the sky but it's still in grids. I think there's a lot of comment on our world going on in it, that you can notice or not. Clara, my (three-year-old) daughter, wouldn't worry about that, but she'd still enjoy it. So yeah, they're not simple films, they're complex and rich."

There is also a quote which I don't have, but which I remember reading where he said his uncle, Denis Lawson(Wedge from the OT) told him NOT to take the part of Obi-Wan in the Prequels, but Ewan went ahead and did it anyway because it was a childhood dream.

Here is also more to that quote earlier from the Evening Standard:

"The lack of depth is..erm..challenging...But they're quite amazing to see once they come out"

See not quite so negative as was made out to be, it's got to do the work of filming rather than with the finished product.

And another in the same vein from Woman magazine:

"..instead of luscious sets he had to work with a blank white wall(edit--they obviously mean blue screen). The special effects were added afterwards. "It was a slog but every so often during the day I'd have a Star Wars moment..."

He's hardly the first actor say it's boring to work in front of the blue screen.

And here's the link to the interview that thora was talking about, with the infamous Oprah reference about 2 1/2 minutes in. Ewan with Jonathan Ross on BBC

And finally, with all the talk about "Oh it's a team, it's a team"--what kind of team doesn't inform it's lead actor of the title of the film before releasing it to the rest of the world? He found out about it at an awards ceremony in which he won best actor for Moulin Rouge from a TV REPORTER!?! From a TV reporter from NBC's Extra! who sticks a microphone under him and says "Did you hear t

The funny thing was to see Nicole Kidman's reaction; I think she made his reaction worse by laughing so hard. She really had a ball with it.


To be honest though, and I may be the only one to think this, the fact Ewan AND Alec finding this a tad beneath them gives continuance, and therefore credibility to the role of Obi-Wan. I mean what are the British if not snobby?

Maybe he's method acting, getting into the mind of alec guiness so as to keep the performance consistant. When he's in starwars he has to act sick of it like Alec did to keep the continuity between the two trilogies.

Or maybe he's just a jerk. My point is who cares? As long as he makes a COOL obi-wan (which he does) why should it matter. Sure maybe he's not grateful as we would be if we were in starwars but then again, we can't act either so ... I'd rather have a good actor who's a jerk than a bad actor who's appreciative.

And anyway, making movies even WITHOUT a blue screen is tiring boring work. You just slog through it so, I don't think it's so bad. Once the initial joy of being in a star wars movie wears off, it's a lot of hurry up and wait. It's more work than you'd think.

Not that I've acted in starwars movies. Though I have acted in movies.

*JWAC makes himself out to be more than he is*

;-)

-JWAC

Racism really is brilliant, isn't it Maceo?

McGregor should be free to say how he feels about any one of his projects. Would anyone tell McGregor to shut the hell up (to pick one of the milder insults that have been thrown around recently) if he admitted that he thought Eye Of The Beholder was rubbish? Probably not, because no-one here is emotionally attached to Eye Of The Beholder. If he attacks Star Wars, people take it personally.

If you're offended by what McGregor says, the problem is with you, not him.

"Would anyone tell McGregor to shut the hell up (to pick one of the milder insults that have been thrown around recently) if he admitted that he thought Eye Of The Beholder was rubbish?"

If he said it while filming or during post-production, or during pre-release interviews about it, I would think it was unprofessional at the very least.

And of course he is free to say whatever he likes about any of his movies. Just as we're free to think poorly about some of the things he says.

My initial response was 'Oh God, he's turning into another Guiness.' And to some extent I still feel that way. But here's what I'm thinking. McGregor has never hidden the fact the the CGI stuff was difficult for him to get used to, or that admitedly TPM didn't have the greatest of storylines or character development that he's used to in smaller films. But he's for the most part seemed to be very happy with his involvement in the films. He's never said anything purely negative until now. Of course, it's his right to have an opinion. But as the star of a movie, bashing something that even the most fanatical SW fan, not to mention those who hate the saga will bash, really hurts the credibility factor of the movies. Only time will tell if he turns into his Obi-Wan predecessor. But if these purely negative and offensive comments continue he will. And for someone who seemed so delighted in becoming a part of the saga, it's a real shame.

"Ewan seems to be almost regretting his involvement in the SW PT"

there is no way ewan could regret being at all involved in star wars. he was excited as hell because he was the biggest fan.

Adali-Kiri, I too sense a disturbance in the force concerning this subject. It's kind of like Harrison Ford always preferring to talk about Indiana Jones instead of Han Solo. I say to both Ewan and Harrison, the only reason you are big stars now is because of SW and GL so give it up!

Turn hunted into hunter!

BOBY1;

I've never heard Harrison Ford blasting Star Wars at all, specially not in the manner Ewan does.

I don't care if the stars criticize the movie, however, it's bad form to do so while you are actively involved in the prequels.

I am curious about some of the things mentioned in this thread. What are some of the comments that Hugh Quarshie and Terance Stamp have made? I was also told that Liam Neeson was unhappy and am completely unaware that Alec Guinness made negative comments.

Could someone point me to these comments? I would very much like to see for myself.

strilo;

Terrance Stamp

According to the UK Teletext, while talking to Lorraine Kelly of the UK's GMTV, the actor shot down talk of his possible return to the saga, saying, "Actors prefer to work with actors. When I arrived on set for Episode 1, George Lucas said, 'I've given Natalie (Portman) the day off'?So he pointed to a piece of paper on a post and said pretend that's her. They couldn't afford me again."

Hugh Quarshie

HUGH QUARSHIE, who played CAPTAIN PANAKA in Star Wars:Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), says, "They have invited me back, which is great, and I'm seriously considering the request. But, let's put it this way - I've got a costume fitting but I've yet to see a script and personally I would like to see a script before we start shooting." And the actor says he would pull out of the movie if there is a nasty surprise in the script when it finally arrives. He adds, "I won't be doing it if I die too early in the movie - I don't want that!"

Not really a negative comment in my opinion.

Liam Neeson ? He liked the movie, just said not to take it too seriously.

As for Alec Guiness, well, you can search that one yourself. There's a lot !

I don't think it is Britsh snobbery, and quite frankly I'm rather offended by that. But no one has seem to taken on board my point about the media manipulating what Ewan said. The trouble with the printed word is that sometimes it's very difficult to tell what tone of voice he said these comments in.

Hey, look at the quote Random Trooper had in his/her post... Ewan's griping about cynicism and defining it in what I can only describe as a...well, CYNICAL tone. Savor the irony.

I think good actors tend to by nature try out a lot of roles even when they're being themselves. The guy's just finished filming the second episode, so he probably IS sick of it for the moment. It's like the end of school - 10 years later, you might miss some of it, but five minutes after exams you just don't want to hear it.

I'm sure he knew he'd be forever identified with Kenobi, and I'm sure he'll ultimately adjust to that and get along with his life, or else spend a lot of hours with shrinks or in bars (j/k). But he's entitled to blow off some steam, too. After all, SOMEBODY had to play Kenobi, and whoever did it would have been just as forever linked to it as he will be.

As for Mark Hamill.... I think part of his spotty film resume is due to the fact that he has a lot of other creative outlets - voiceovers, but also comic book authoring. It's also possible he actually just enjoys living his life - hard to do when you're shooting 12-17 hours days for months at a time.

But to whoever said Harrison Ford broke his typecasting so Mark Hamill should have too - I disagree. Ford gradually transitted from wise-cracking protagonist with a heart of gold to just plain protagonist with a heart of gold. There are plenty of Han-like roles out there, so he didn't even NEED to break typecast. Mark Hamill, on the other hand, played a Young Innocent Turned Hero. There aren't many roles like that ever, and he's not so young anymore anyway, and it was kind of so well done with Luke that I doubt he wanted to make that journey again.

Three Guinness/McGregor similarities:
1. Both played Obi-Wan
2. Both are rather disdainful of the process of making a Star Wars film, and of the fan base.
3. While McGregor came to fame for diving down a toilet, Guinness was arrested in a public toilet in 1946 for homosexual activity.

Thanks for the quotes Naw Ibo - they really put this discussion into better perspective.

As far as I know, the character of Obi-Wan Kenobi was always intended to die off in the final script. Actually, one of the early scripts had Kenobi survive and encourage Luke via radio during Luke's assault on the Death Star. However, Lucas wasn't comfortable about taking such a dynamic character for the first half of film and just making him stand around for the second half, so for the sake of the story he killed off the character in a dramatic moment.

Alec Guiness took the role because he thought it sounded like a fun movie and was once quoted as chastising some stage hands in the Elestree Studios in England who were making fun of Lucas by saying, "Leave him alone. I think what he's doing is bloody marvalous."

When it came time to do Episode V, Lucas called Guiness, who's enthusiasm for the role had cooled somewhat because of the typecasting potential, and asked him if he wanted to reprise his role for the new film. However, before Lucas would let him agree he carefully explained to him that, much like Leanord Nimoy is forever known as Spock, Guiness could easily and inescapably be pegged as Obi-Wan Kenobi due to the fan appeal of the first film. Despite some slight misgivings Guiness agreed and reprised his role in the next two films. So it seems a bit "sour grapish" of him to have complained about the success and ensuing typecasting when he walked in with both eyes open.

As for McGregor, I don't think he has anything to worry about. He is a talented enough actor that he doesn't have to fear the "one trick pony" effect of actors like Hammill or Fisher. I recently saw "Eye of the Beholder" (an entertaining and intriguing film with an ending that sucked) and his character was markedly different from Obi-Wan in "The Phantom Menace," so given his skill at playing different roles he doesn't have to worry. Now Hamill's "Corvette Summer," well, all I can say is his agent should have been slapped. And by the way, Hamill is doing very well as a voice over actor for cartoons with his most notable roll being The Joker in the Batman animated series. And anybody who doesn't think Hamill is a talented actor needs to play the game "Full Throttle" in which Hamill plays three different characters, each of which sounds so distinctly different that I had no idea he played any of them or indeed that they were played by the same person until I read the credits!

As for Harrison Ford, it was the fact that he lucked into the role of Indiana Jones that launched his career into super-stardom. Yes, he lucked into it only because Tom Selleck was contractually obligated to the Magnum P.I. television series (only a pilot then but being seriously looked at by CBS) and therefore could not accept Spielberg and Lucas' offer. Just weeks before Spielberg was to begin principle photography he saw "The Empire Strikes Back" and realized that Ford really did possess the acting chops to pull off Indy.

Sorry for the long, rambling post.

I think you're on to something, Adali-Kiri. Whoever plays Obi-Wan seems to have a less then enthusuastic attitude (that's being generous) towards SW.
While I think he is a good actor, and quite the singer, I don't think Ewan is dumb enough to shoot his mouth off or hold out on GL enough to get left behind. I'll admit, the only thing I knew about him before TPM was "Transpotting." And all I knew was that he got good reviews, but it was a movie that didn't interest me at all. But the cold hard fact is that, SW introduced him to mainstream audiences; so his big time career of late wouldn't happen without SW. "Eye of the Beholder", "Mulon Rouge" wouldn't happen for him without TPM. He seems smart enough to know, "don't bite the hand that feeds you."