Saga Obi-Wan Kenobi: Ewan McGregor vs Alec Guinness

Alec Guinness all the way. Ewan McGregor did a great job and was perfect for the role, but in the long run it was just an impersonation of Alec Guinness. Old Obi-Wan was the first Jedi anyone ever saw, and the first one created for the first movie. For years he was the only Jedi that we ever knew. Even after we met Yoda, old Obi-Wan was still the template for what we knew of a Jedi. All the Jedi in the PT were ultimately based in many ways on Obi-Wan from the PT. They were all basically variants on his template. Especially Qui-Gon. Don't get me wrong, Ewan was amazing and I loved his Obi-Wan, but when something is made specifically to become something else (like PT Obi-Wan), that something else will always be the crowning achievement.

 

Ewan McGregor. Alec Guinness's duel with Vader was, in my opinion, one of the most cringing moments in the Star Wars films. It's like watching two kids horsing around with toy swords.

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Back when I was really young and stupid (though that's debatably still the case), I thought that Alec Guinness had returned to play Obi-Wan in AOTC. My reasoning was this:
1.) ANH Obi-Wan was a super-slow lightsaber duelist
2.) TPM Obi-Wan was a super-fast lightsaber duelist
3.) AOTC Obi-Wan was a super-slow lightsaber duelist

So when my dad, after we saw AOTC, asked me about why the duel wasn't as quick as in TPM, I very wisely informed him that for this movie, they "got the guy who played Obi-Wan in the original movie" for this one.

Now to answer the thread question. Since I view the trilogies separately, I think both actors suit the role they're trying to play.

 

Obi_Wan was not slow with his saber in AOTC.

 

They’re both terrific, and as much as I dislike the prequel films, I will always maintain that Evan McGregor did a fantastic job, and was, aside from Ian McDiarmid, the best actor in the entire trilogy. No one could’ve done a better job portraying a young Obi-Wan Kenobi. I wish he’d been in better films, but I have no complaints regarding the casting decision or the performance.

With that said, in the end, I have to give it to Alec Guinness. He’s the original and he set the standard. Even McGregor admitted that the goal was basically to play a younger version of Guinness. When I think of Obi-Wan Kenobi, I think of Alec Guinness.

However, I think a previous poster made an excellent comparison to THE GODFATHER. This is exactly like who was the better Vito Corleone- Marlon Brando or Robert De Niro. They’re both great, but Brando set the standard. When people think of the character, they picture Marlon Brando. The same applies to Obi-Wan. Still, De Niro ain’t bad company to be in.

 

I definitely prefer the character and personality of Ewan's Obi-Wan but if we're talking performances, it's hard to say. It's hard to compare the two -- they are both playing different versions of the same character.

 

Liked both versions, but Ewan.

 

I can't believe I'm doing this, but I'm going with McGregor. As much as I love Alec Guinness' performance (Did You Know: he was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Academy Awards for the original film) and as much as I love the characterization of old "Ben" Kenobi as a mentor and aged warrior, McGregor's Obi-Wan (particularly in AotC and RotS) has a swagger, humor, and charm to him married with the wisdom we expect from the character that I really enjoy.