Ewan McGregor is really starting to annoy me

It seems that with each successive Star Wars film, the man who plays Obi-Wan Kenobi shoots his mouth off a little bit more. Right now he's about reached the "Death Star superlaser" stage. To tell you the truth, I'm really sick of Ewan constantly *itching that blue screen work is hard or that the films are "tedious" to make or, when asked if Star Wars is still "fun to do," he responds, "Oh, yes - a laugh a minute!" his voice "dripping with sarcasm."

Why is it we never hear Sam Jackson complaining about his role in SW? He has to do a lot of the same stuff as Ewan, but he's a lot more concious I think of the fans that will read his comments. Ewan, apparently, just doesn't care.

As good a job as Ewan has done playing Obi-Wan, I'm beginning to wish Lucas had gotten someone else to play the part. Someone who would happily pocket his multi-million dollar paycheck and treat the whole Star Wars saga and his part in it with at least a modicum of respect and appreciation.

 

AGREED

 

I agree as well -- except for the big about Lucas casting someone else as Obi. I always thought Ewan was perfect for it.

 

Ewan's comments regarding his involvement with STAR WARS are at best inconsistent. For instance, in and interview he did with Entertainment Weekly, he talked about the difficulty of working with blue screen and concluded by saying, "I do love being in the 'Star Wars' films, though they're difficult to make."

Now the statement taken from The Toronto Sun claims that Ewan sarcastically said that making STAR WARS films was "a laugh a minute" going so far as to characterize his comment as "dripping with sarcasm." My question is, did the reporter take some creative liberties when interpreting Ewan's comments? Was he being sarcastic at the reporter's expense or Lucas'? It's hard to say unless I heard it from McGregor's own mouth.

 

Ewan will be Ewan.
At least he says what he thinks.
He may not like the process but he does like ebing in the films and the films themselves.

 

Chewbacca of Kashyyyk apparently didn't think so...

 

as i said in the other thread about ewan is honest and blunt and sometimes he does run his mouth a little too much. i think he just doesn't like the blue screen and it really drags him down. he wants to be good at it (which i think he is), but it is very difficult for him like any other actor.

like i also said before he has said a lot of good things too about star wars, but that doesn't get mentioned a lot because people i think like the negativity.

 

agreed.

Anyway, what about the OT cast? Weren't they (esp. Harrison Ford) getting bored of Star Wars by the end?

Plus, you have to remember that Ewan must get asked the same questions 1000s of times "what's it like working with George Lucas?" "Is Star Wars fun?", etc?

 

I like Ewan - he seems like a nice guy, and he's great as Obi-Wan, but bitching and whining about the bluescreen work does not impress anyone. He is being paid a lot of money to act out a role in a series he loved as a kid, and he is bringing pleasure to millions. He ought to try a real job to experience real tedium! He just sounds unprofessional when complaining about aspects of the job in public. Perhaps there is more to his lack of enthusiasm than the technical difficulty of the work - maybe be fell out with Lucas and/or McCallum. I remember straight after wrapping principal photography on TPM in 1997, he did a lot of promotion for A Life Less Ordinary and still seemed excited about being in Star Wars. Maybe something specific happened since to put him off.

 

I remember specifically a quote of his from just before filming AOTC. Apparently he did Moulin Rouge in the same studio at Fox/Australia and was disappointed to see the set torn down because it was so beatiful. I think he said he regretted the Star Wars people for taking it down. Maybe someone can dig up that article.

But why would the SW crew dismantle any other movie crew's props? Doesn't make sense, but I'm pretty sure Ewan said that stuff.

 

I never saw anything wrong with his comments. If I were an actor, I would agree with him completely.

I get the feeling that everything he's been saying has been self-concious. He's aware that if he's not careful, whiny fanboys will take his words and spew their discontent for him and Lucas' magnum opus over the internet that much further.

Working with bluescreen is not an easy process. McGregor is being entirely honest with his statements. It seemed that he was looking forward to completing the saga with Episode III, but that the work involved is not a fun process. Words from a man who immersed himself inside scenes of war in the middle of Somalia for Black Hawk Down come as no surprise when he is now forced to imagine an army of clones taking over the galaxy.

If anything, I respect the guy even more for his honesty, insight, and dedication to his craft (and willingness to improve on his bluescreen work).

 

When June rolls around and you start shooting ''Episode
III,'' is there anything you specifically hope to accomplish?
Yeah, actually, it'd be nice to come to terms with the blue screen
work, because I find it terribly difficult. You can guarantee there'll
be an awful lot of it in the new one, and I've got to find some way
to make it easier. It's not that I'm bad at it -- in fact, I'd like to
think I'm rather good at it. It's a skill I've learned, but it doesn't
give back the satisfaction that you get working with another actor.
I have to find some way around that for this one, because I want
to have a good time. I do love being in the ''Star Wars'' films,
though they're difficult to make.

Are you looking forward to working with Chewbacca?
Yeah, somebody told me that the other day. I only find out ''Star
Wars'' stuff from people on the street, usually. I found out the title
of ''Episode II'' on a rope line. Someone said, ''What do you think
of 'Attack of the Clones'''? And I said, ''What is it?'' And they said,
''It's the title of the new 'Star Wars' film.'' And I said, ''It's f---ing
terrible!'' They obviously ran out of f---ing fax paper [at Lucasfilm].

****************************************************************************

McGregor will fly to Australia next month to film Star Wars
Episode III in which he plays Obi-Wan Kenobi.

He admits he'll be relieved when this final chapter is completed.

"These Star War movies are so difficult to make. There are so
many special effects in them and that means a lot of blue-screen
work.

"They're really tedious to make. There's a great deal more fun for
me in making a movie like Down With Love."

******************************************************************************

McGregor is bearded for Star Wars: Episode 3, which he starts
shooting with George Lucas in four weeks. "Do you recognize my
Jedi chin?" he queries, jutting out his jaw to look heroic. "Is it still
fun to do?" McGregor is asked about doing his last Star Wars.
"Oh, yes, a laugh a minute!" he answers, dripping with sarcasm.

 

I remember specifically a quote of his from just before filming AOTC. Apparently he did Moulin Rouge in the same studio at Fox/Australia and was disappointed to see the set torn down because it was so beatiful. I think he said he regretted the Star Wars people for taking it down. Maybe someone can dig up that article.

But why would the SW crew dismantle any other movie crew's props? Doesn't make sense, but I'm pretty sure Ewan said that stuff.

Because Moulin Rouge was done shooting. That's what happens to old movie sets and stuff. They throw them out.

Nowadays Lucasfilm saves everything in their own archives, but they are the exception, not the norm.

Also, Peter Jackson (with his own personal money) bought and saved the Bag End set from LOTR.

But most movie sets get cleared away when they're done with. That's just how it works these days.


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

I am no actor and never have done any acting, but to some extent I can understand the difficulties of acting in front of a bluescreen. However, how different is that from acting in a play where you might have to stand up on a stage and use your imagination and acting skills to put yourself in a certain setting given only a few props. Now I haven't seen many plays, but I do recall one where there was supposed to be a battle between armies going on around two actors that were up on the stage. I don't see how different this would be compared to having two actors interacting in front of a bluescreen. Maybe someone has more insight on this.

 

I can completely understand that he is tired of being asked the same cheesy questions about what its like to work on SW, with George Lucas, and with blue screens. Hell, I am tired of hearing the airhead entertainment reporters asking him those questions, and I'm sure I only catch a very very small fraction of the total number.


And there were OT actors who got tired of it too. There are non-SW actors who don't like answering repetitive questions. It's not that Ewan hates SW, it's that he is tired of the press and he isn't the only one.

At least he manages to seem enthusiastic in the actual film, I can think of one actress who can't even give us that much.

 

At least he manages to seem enthusiastic in the actual film, I can think of one actress who can't even give us that much.

Yeah, I was disappointed with Bonnie Piesse too. That "Hello" could have had a ton more emotion behind it.









Rick McCallum loves you!

 

You are right muymaul, blue screen is just like doing a play. I don't see anything wrong with it.

 

Some actors don't have trouble with bluescreen at all.

Christopher Lee says that bluescreen was just like doing a play.

Ian McKellen said that it didn't matter in film if there was bluescreen or not, because you were already surrounded by things that didn't make the set 'real' -- cameras, crewmen, lights etc.


Rick McCallum loves you!

 

"At least he manages to seem enthusiastic in the actual film, I can think of one actress who can't even give us that much"

i most certaintly agree. although ewan can not stand the blue screen and the hard work that it does take he sure has been a bright spot in the prequels. i can not say that about the actress you refer to. although in defense i do think a star wars film is NOT her type of work but who am i anyway they all make more money than i do, so i guess i should shut up now.

 

@ Adam

 

I actually find Ewan's comments very fun to read. I like the fact that he says what he thinks and you really can't blame him for disliking the blue screen thingies as he is a bit less experienced actor than Ian Mckellen or Christopher Lee.

It doesn't mean that he hates Star Wars even if he hates making them.



I thought that the actress some of you are talking about would have improved, come AOTC, but her performance was if not as bad as in TPM but lousy anyway. Casting Natalie Portman was a big mistake from Lucas. Too bad it is too late to fix that mistake now.

 

well that actress i think overall isn't horrible by any stretch of the imagination but she just doesn't fit in star wars movie you know what i am trying to say. i thought she was better in aotc than tpm but nothing earth shattering.

so far the best acting performances in the prequels have come from:
ewan mcgregor
ian mcdiarmid
chris lee
and liam nesson wasn't too bad either.

 

What really makes me sad is the fact that Miss Portman can act. She has the ability. Look at any of her other films; she is terrific. Unfortunately, she just can't get into the role of Padme. People complain about the acting in AOTC, but I think that she was the only weak link....



Mace Windy,
this signature blows!

 

agreed mace windy, i share the same belief on natalie. she can act but this role just isn't for her.

 

I hear ya, Windy. I think that is what highlights how uncomfortable she seems in the prequels, that she is so much more natural and relaxed in other films.

I don't think I have read anything about her bashing the PT, but her performances give me the feeling that she couldn't care less how they turn out. She is apathetic.

I find it much more refreshing to hear that Ewan has an opinion than to get a whole lot of nothing from Natalie.