Saga The Best Acting Performances in Star Wars

Not a single shout for Hayden? Thought he did a great job in both movies when he wasn't handcuffed by some of the dreadful dialogue given to him. His facial expressions were absolutely perfect for a person about to turn ultimate evil. His confession scene on Tattoine is one of the strongest dramatic performances in all of the films.

 

I would comment in this thread, but then I would have to mention every credited actor in the saga

 

That is a critique of his character not of his performance. A character can be a whiny character while still being a good acting performance.

 

have you not noticed that people often confuse Anakin's immature attitude and repressed psychological/emotional problems with a lack of acting skill on Hayden's part, or the gauche awkwardness of his speech with the quality of the scriptwriting

 

I agree with that, but I think that Padmé/Portman also suffers a bit from the same curse.
How many times has Padmé/Portman been criticised for being "boring" or "lifeless" when Padmé's just not as loud and extroverted as her daughter? Padmé's arena is diplomacy, she is a rather calm and very caring person. Fighting and bantering are simply against her innate nature and Naboo culture as a whole (which it why it was even more bold on her part and hard for he to get actively and purposely involved in a fight during the Invasion of Naboo).

Generally spoken and from the six main actors so far, Ewan McGregor (particulary in Revenge of the Sith) and Mark Hamill (particularly in Return of the Jedi) stand out the most for me in terms of acting performance. Hamill just managed to convey a level of maturity and internal strength for Luke in ROTJ that was quite impressive and I think Ewan McGregor managed to make the "tragedy" of Episode III palpable even for thise who never connected with Anakin in any way. The were both very good and it's kind of sad that both have been overlooked by many. For instance, I don't quite understand why Ewan was the only actor who didn't get at least some acting award recognition for ROTS (Hayden, Natalie and Ian at least all got a Saturn Award nomination). But that's what it is: subjective.

 

Yep - just as they did back in the day about Mark Hamill's performance as Luke. In hindsight, Mark Hamill was brilliant as Luke, but it was easy as an oh-so-cool teenager to consider it being rubbish.

Hayden was excellent as Anakin in certain situations - his total flipout in the Lars garage still ranks as one of my favourite moments in the Saga overall, and was the point that I really got on board with the PT ("Yes, this guy IS the Jedi who becomes Darth Vader!") - but some of the love scenes with Padme remain utterly cringeworthy. I don't blame him for that - the writing was abysmal, partly due to the clunky dialogue, but also due to a failure at the structural/narrative level, which didn't establish this romance solidly enough for the scenes to bear the weight of such flowery babble.
Hayden Christensen came on board with the SW Saga in its most under-written episode in an utterly crucial role, so he faced an uphill battle from the start. It's a miracle that his performance wasn't an utter disaster, an even greater one that so much of what he contributed was as terrific as it was. That's not a back-handed compliment, he was great when the script allowed him to be - unfortunately, he also had to suffer with some dire scenes that Lawrence Olivier or Robert De Niro couldn't have pulled off, and he remains judged overall on those scenes, not the others in which he nailed the role of Anakin.

 

That he did. Obi-Wan's multiple roles in the PT include a function rather like Merry and Pippin's in LotR -- as an 'in' to the abstract high drama of Anakin's fall -- but it was also more complex because he has to be both larger-than-life sort of heroic, on the scale Anakin is, and also immediately relatable. As I might have said in another thread, I find the PT's tragedy works much more compellingly when looked at through Obi-Wan's eyes rather than a third-person authorial/'universal' perspective -- and that's due largely to Ewan McGregor's performance.

I suspect it's probably because (especially in his SW work) he generally comes across as very much an ensemble actor rather than a scene-stealer. He subordinates his presence to the storytelling. That's especially true of his role as Obi-Wan because of its function as the 'window' through which the audience is (or at least I am) engaged by Anakin's story. You're not really supposed to notice the window itself when you look at a grand view -- if you do, either it's calling too much attention to itself or it's dirty

It's a shame that it's usually only 'scene-stealing' acting that gets recognised though. Certainly that contributes to a movie culture that revolves around celebrity (actors for their screen presence; directors for their 'style') rather than the art of visual storytelling itself.

edit: good points about Padmé/Portman too. I would say I think she could have been better in RotS, even allowing for the fact that many of her stronger scenes got cut. At the same time, there's really a cultural misalignment between the sorts of heroine she and Leia are, which I definitely think is a big reason she comes across as 'wooden'. Like Hayden (and unlike Carrie Fisher), some of her best moments -- and they are great -- are nonverbal ones: the Ruminations bit (gorgeous, true visual poetry) and the beat of anxiety, dread and anguished foreboding between landing on Mustafar and meeting Vader.

 

Ep 1-Liam Neeson
Ep 2- Ewan McGregor
Ep 3- Ian McDiarmid
Ep 4- Peter Cushing
Ep 5- Harrison Ford
Ep 6- Not so sure on this one....I will say Mark Hamill

 

I have no problem with Hayden's performance in ROTS. In AOTC though, while I know some of it was due to the writing, I still think he delivered a below-average performance. It was his first major performance that I am aware of, and I don't think he was quite ready for it.

 

That's a very good point. Ewan McGregor is a really naturalistic actor.

I cannot agree more with this!

That's another thing: Why is non-verbal acting so often overlooked? You hardly see people praising a facial expression or body language, although facial expression and body language are probably the most "honest" things that can be observed about a human (it's much easier to lie with your words than with your eyes).

I think the Fireplace Scene is an example here, since this is probably the scene that feels the most striking in regard to Lucas's quote that dialogue was merely a "sound effect" in his films. Honesty, remove sound/dialogue and you still perfectly get what's going on and I think Portman's non-verbal acting is perfect here. You can notice how she hesitates to look into his eyes, perhaps being afraid her own eyes would reveal to much. You can see how she awkwardly shifts in her sofa, feeling uncomfortable and torn apart. You can observe how she always turns away when gets slightly closer, trying desperately to avoid eye contact until there is finally a chance for her to escape, stand up and take control of the situation: No, you listen!
(btw I've just watched the scene for the first time with the "archival commentary" on the blu ray and I loved how Lucas talked about A/P's "awkward scenes" - never heard him saying that himself before)

I find him more consistent in ROTS, probably. He delivers some real Saga highlights in AOTC (the Garage scene has been mentioned), but there are also some scenes where you just notice that he was quite inexperienced and insecure (which luckily also applied to Anakin in that film) at the time.

 

My list may confuse some of you guys. Oh and I tried to limit each actor to one performance (with one exception).

1. Ian McDiarmid - ROTS
2. Liam Neeson - TPM
3. Christopher Lee - AOTC
4. Harrison Ford - ANH
5. Ewan McGregor - ROTS
6. Samuel L. Jackson - ROTS
7. James Earl Jones - ROTJ
8. Frank Oz - ESB
9. Billy Dee Williams - ESB
10. Hayden Christensen - ROTS

Honorable Mention (no order):
Ray Park in TPM - I remember when I first saw TPM all he had to do was walk on the screen and I'd get nervous. Much more of a physical role but Park was very good.

Mark Hamill in ESB - As others have mentioned, he did a great job of selling Yoda.

Alec Guiness in ANH - Just a very good, classic mentor role performance.

Ian McDiarmid in TPM, AOTC, and ROTJ - This guy just stole the show in practically every scene he was in. "Now we must elect a new Chancellor." "I love democracy. I love the Republic." "So be it - Jedi."

 

Well these are the actors in my opinion that do the best.

1. Frank Oz - Yoda - ESB
2. James Earl Jones - Darth Vader - ROTJ
3. Harrison Ford - Han Solo - ESB
4. Alec Guiness - Ben Kenobi - ANH
5. Mark Hamil - Luke Skywalker - ROTJ
6. Ewan McGregor- Obi-Wan Kenobi - ROTS
7. Peter Cushing - Grand Moff Tarkin - ANH
8. Ian McDiarmid - Emperor Palpatine
9. Christopher Lee - Count Dooku - AOTC
10. Anthony Daniels - C-3PO - ANH, ESB, and ROTJ

Honorable Mentions

Liam Neeson - Qui-Gon Jinn - TPM

Billy Dee Williams - Lando Calrissian - ESB

Jimmy Smits - Senator Bail Organa - ROTS

 

Natalie Portman

 

I thought Pernilla August and Jimmy Smits put in good, albeit more minor, performances in the PT.

 

Pernilla August and Ian Mc Diarmid in the PT.

Peter Cushing in ANH

Billy Dee Williams and Frank Oz in ESB.

Mark Hammil and, for their little scenes, Femi Taylor, Paul Brooke and Debbie Lee Carington in ROTJ.

 

Ian McDiarmid was always on spot with his acting. I also think Natalie Portman did a good job. I don't get why her performances receive a lot of criticism.

 

I thought Ian was superb overall but his new stuff in ESB seems off-kilter.

 

1A. Hayden Christensen: Attack of the Clones.
1B. Hayden Christiansen: Revenge of the Sith.
1C. Jake Lloyd: The Phantom Menace.

Three way tie.

 

Liam Neeson
Ian McDiarmid
Harrison Ford
Mark Hamill
Carrie Fisher
Ewan McGregor
Alec Guiness
Peter Cushing
Billy Dee Williams
Anthony Daniels
Christopher Lee
Frank Oz

 

Although I don't feel his performance was in the "best" category, I am also one that believes Hayden did much better (when possible) than he gets credit for. The confession scene in AOTC is one of my faves in the saga as well, and the "I hate you!!!" immolation scene was incredible-I challenge ANY ACTOR to perform that scene better! Hayden did great when it really mattered. I agree that the AOTC love scene is cringeworthy-I just want to page forward everytime I come to it-that or rewrite it! The initial kiss scene isn't so bad though IMO. Regardless of the infamous "I hate sand" line. And I feel he did a great job throughout ROTS. I could definately feel his internal struggle throughout-by all respects, definately "faster, more intense."

BUT IMO here is my list of best specific performances:

1. Ian Mcdiarmid (ROTS and ROTJ)
2. Ewan McGregor (ROTS)
3. Carrie Fisher (ANH)

Yes. I put Carrie Fisher above Luke...I am actually surprised she isn't mentioned more on here, for obvious reasons...

I suppose I'd put Yoda (Frank Oz) in there as an honorable mention-doesnt seem right to leave him out, somehow.

 

Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson were great

 

Alec Guieness in ANH by far best performance in saga. He basically set the tone for the film the scene at his house when he reminisces about the TCW is just perfectly executed.

TESB- Ford, hamill and frank oz

 

1.Liam Neeson as Qui-Gon.
2. Ian McDiarmid as Supreme Chancellor Palpatine.
3. And my personal favorite, Ewan McGregor in ROTS.

 

All the scenes with Mark Hamill and Yoda in TESB. The way he played off the puppet was just awesome.