Anyone remember the early rumours that Kenneth Branagh would play Obi-Wan Kenobi?!

Looking back now, who would you have preffered to play Obi-Wan Kenobi:

Ewan McGreggor or Kenneth Branagh?

 

Ewan Mcgregor, he is the better actor of the two, and Kenneth Branagh is too old.

 

I would have actually liked to have seen Branaugh as Obi-wan. Then he would never have been on screen as a Padawan.

 

Well, as Ewan is one of my favourite actors, I would have stuck with Ewan, but it would have been interesting to see how Kenneth Branagh would have played the role.

 

Kenneth Branagh is a BRILLIANT Shakespearian actor...

 

I've only seen him in Conspiracy, which is one of the most chilling films I've ever seen, and he was great in that, but I think Ewan is just as good an actor as Kenneth, only he's far less pretentious!

 

Is that the film he did about the FINAL SOLUTION, if so, that was a brilliant historial film, and yes, chilling!

 

Branagh would have been great - if the film had been made 5-10 years previously. But I prefer Ewan now. He is brilliant in the role and although I'm certain Branagh would have been good in the acting stuff, I'm convinced the duel of the fates would not have been in the same quality without the brilliant and cool stuff from Ewan. Ewan is the greatest fighter in the SW universe (despite AOTC) as I am sure we will see in the Anakin - Obi Wan duel. He was a big reason for the greatness of duel of the fates. I'm not sure Branagh could have done it nearly as good.

P.S.: I believe Branagh was in the frame for the role as you can see the likeness of Branagh and TPM's Ewan McGregor.

 

He'd have been good. We'll never know, though.

Oakessteve ... you might like the Star Wars fan film CONSPIRACY. It crosses the Branagh film with SW... you'll see.



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Kenneth Branagh is a great actor, but I prefer Ewan to him. I think Ewan has more of that "Kenobi" feel to him.

 

I remember those rumors. In fact, the very first thing I ever looked at on the internet (back in 1994 or 95) was a SW prequels rumors page and it suggested Kenneth Branagh and Ralph Fiennes as Obi-Wan and Anakin.

He'd probably have been good, but Ewan's so good as Obi-Wan that I can't imagine anyone else in the role now.

 

Branagh has similar looks overall, but Ewan owns the early Obi-Wan role. I can't imagine anyone else as the character. There's a boyish innocence, and dry humor, about him that wouldn't come through the same with Branagh. Plus he's a bit too old for the part, in my opinion.

Ewan all the way!

 

Actually, I think Branagh is an accomplished swordsman. His style is one of elegance and refinement, and his duel in Hamlet was simply amazing, as he can do something really well:

Give an excellent performance during an action scene.

To me, that's more important that the flash we had in Duel of the Fates. Nothing was said, the significant moment happened at the very end. It was the obligatory action scene without any real substance. Dialogue and character development halted for that, they took a break for an action scene, and after it was done, the story continued. The fault was mostly in having Maul be the "silent assassin," but I think it would have been interesting to see Branagh as Obi-wan and Ewan as a young Gui-gon in that duel and have them actually interact with their opponent beyond fighting.

 

Curse you, double post, curse you!!!

 

I would have preffered Sean Bean.


Seriously though, I love Ewan in stuff like Trainspotting, but I am curious how Kenneth Branagh would have turned out.

 

Can someone post a picture please?

 

The most Obi-Wan
esque
pix I could find


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

KB is certainly a brilliant actor, especially owning when it comes to Shakespeare. But I have been a fan of Ewan's for 6 years now and couldn't have been happier when I found out he'd be playing one of my favourite all-time characters for the PT. I must say he's done a splendid job and I can't really imagine anyone else in the role, or doing it quite the same.

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

Thank you very much Adam.He looks like he would have been an interesting pick for Obi-Wan.

 

Interesting, I agree, and surely capable of the acting, but still...Doesn't he look a little too old for 25-35, as was Obi-Wan's age in the first two films?

 

Well, I think at the time, the roles were reversed and Obi-wan was the Master and Qui-gon was his young apprentice. I may be wrong, but at some point that may have been the case, I read it somewhere; so it would have made sense for Obi to have been older.

 

Ewan McGreggor was my favorite out of the two

 

Oh man, Branagh could've helped with the script too!

 

Nothing like having a Shakespearean around to give some advice on giving lines a bit of a kick.

 

How old is Branagh? Isn't he a bit too old to play a 20-yr old in TPM?