The Anakin Auditions

I was recently watching the documentary on the Episode 1 DVD on the part where they show the 3 boys trying out for Anakin. I always thought the blonde kind who went just before Jake Lloyd would've been a better child Anakin. What's more strange is that Lucas and crew after the auditions look at the mugshots and mention that blonde kid auditioned well, but picked Lloyd because they thought he would handle the pressures of a huge production better. I don't think Lloyd is a bad actor, but I did feel that he was miscast in his role. The blonde kid could've done much worse.

 

There's a similar bit in the making of feature on the 12 Monkeys DVD. The child actor in one of the final crucial scenes just couldn't convey what Terry Gilliam was looking for. So the on the spot switched him with the actor you see in the film, who did a great job. I realize it's a big difference between one scene and a whole movie, but it's interesting to wonder; what if GL had decided early into filming to go with the runner up?

 

When they were reviewing the final two choices, Jake and the other blonde kid, they mentioned that the blonde kid's performance was a more trained one, than that of Jake Lloyd's. Doug Chaing mentioned that he like Jake's body language better. Here are images of the three finalists if anyone is interested:


Audition 1:

[image=http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/8882/anakin19sh.jpg]

Audition 2:

[image=http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6753/anakin22xn.jpg]

Audition 3 (Jake Lloyd):

[image=http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9732/anakinjake5ei.jpg]

Final Comparison:

[image=http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/9863/anakinfinalcompare1zk.jpg]

 

I think he picked the right kid~ Jake made Anakin seem older than he was~ just like with Hayden~ I think GL just saw the raw talent~

 

Jake obviously showed more emotion in his audition than the others, but I thought the other kid resembled Mark Hamill more.

 

Jake obviously showed more emotion in his audition than the others,

Yeah, he also had more of the innocent kid like quality about him.

 

I thought GL picked the right kid because Lloyd showed a emotional quality about him and he played the innocent kid part. I looked at the 2nd audition kid and I don't think he looked like Hamill at all so I'm happy Lucas picked Jake.

Rachel Rose

 

I'm not sure what went wrong. It was either Jake Lloyd sucked, the writing sucked, or perhaps just that the idea of Darth Vader running around screaming "Yipppppppeeeee" never sat well with me. Either way, I don't know that another kid being cast would have helped the situation, but who knows.


Edit: That blonde kid certainly looked much more like Luke though.

 

I think Jake Lloyd was a good kid Anakin in episode 1, And I think Hayden was a good Anakin in episodes 2 and 3.

 

I think Jake did well -
the problem is that some, ahem, fans do not want to acknowledge that evil isn't born that way.

Anakin was a sweet child (Vader Vader Vader) who gives with no thought of getting anything in return... an innocent child whose "Yippee" should actually ring the bell of recognition of an unexpected, unanticipated gift of free time.....remember how it felt to have chore time finished early or to get a reprieve for an early/extra recess? Exam canceled! Yippee! Woot! ya know, like that.

 

Yes, but most of us don't see to the annihalation of millions, if not billions, of people. He shouldn't have been a normal kid, that is unless we were being led to believe that he should have been a normal adult if it wasn't for those waskawy Jedi.

 

Waskawy Jedi!!!!

Jake Lloyd was WIZARD!!! I can't really see anyone else in that role...maybe the kid who sees dead dudes...but that's about it.

 

Remember "Who's The Boss?"
I think Danny Pintauro would make a good Anakin!
[image=http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/7589/dp2mq.jpg]
Just do a CG 'face switch' with Lloyd for the Ultra Editions of the PT.

 

IMO and George's, I guess, Anakin needed to begin where he did: selfless, loving and attached to Shmi. and hating to be a slave and someone else having control over him.

 

I've seen the auditions and i think George made the right choice with Jake.

 

Well LL that's great for you... and George. I just didn't care to see that much of the little bugger. It's his movies though, and he hasn't really asked me recently what I would like, so I'm S.O.L.

Unless... ... That's it!!! I'll write SuperShadow

 

He who must not be named.......

 

Who... Mickey? Oh God I let it slip, now I have to kill you

 

The brown-haired kid brought a new meaning to the word "wooden".
Personally I thought the blonde-haired kid did a better job in the audition, but I'm usually one to defend Jake Lloyd's action. Let's not forget that it was Lucas who put "yippee!" in the script, not Jake. Let's be honest, can anyone think of any actor who could pull off a convincing "yippee"? Maybe it would sound better if it was replaced with an "alright!" or something.
Also, Jake's acting when Anakin said his goodbyes to his mother was fantastic. Definitely his best lines in the film.

If you look in the "3000 Anakins" webdoc, you can see a rather young Justin Berfield, who would later become Reese from Malcolm in the Middle, among the auditions in the small booth.

 

or perhaps just that the idea of Darth Vader running around screaming "Yipppppppeeeee" never sat well with me.

Would you feel better if the 2007 dvd edition of ANH had Vader yelling "Yipppppppeeeee" after Alderaan blows up.

 

so i suppose Hitler shouldn't have been raised normally(well for those standards back then) either, just let me look for my time machine and well go back and throw in, i don't know, uhmmm? his father was a crazy scientist and he lived in a castle or something.....

sarcasm end.

nothing is evil at the beginning. plus i wouldn't say being a slave is a too normal experience

 

Would you feel better if the TV series established that Jar-Jar was on Alderaan at the time ?

 

Nothing is evil at birth? Try to train an alligator to not bite your hand when you stick it by his mouth then, sparky...

Sarcasm end

I just don't know that all of the lil' Ani footage was neccessary. Who knows, maybe it was? It's just my opinion. It simply doesn't make sense to me to say that Ani was fine when he left Tatooine, but once the Jedi got ahold of him he went all crazy... but the Jedi were the good guys As I said, it may be that Jake did the best job with the part. The role itself doesn't make much sense to me though.

 

I've always liked to imagine Jar Jar was to lose his virginity right when that planet blew.