Actors are observers. They’re trying to have an understanding of human sensibility. And how do you have that accurate observation if you regard yourself as someone of great importance? When you’re the one constantly being observed, because they view you as a celebrity? It’s all wrong.

All my characters have characteristics I don’t know anything about and that’s the joy. Being able to justify their actions, and find sympathy in their wrongs, and understand their accomplishments. After Life as a House I took a while off and tried to remember who I was at the beginning of the film. You obsess, and it’s exhausting, to lose your sense of self.

All I want is all what my mother wanted for me when she raised me – to be happy. For that, I don’t need to be in a relationship. I don’t need to have a certain level of respect. I just want to care very much about what I do and be kind to everyone in the process. It’s important that I can feel that. That’s happiness.
I have two sisters and a mother, obviously, so I grew up with a household of girls. Maybe I have a greater respect for women because of it.

I wish they taught green screen acting classes.

Ewan McGregor and I had very similar first-time light sabre experiences. We both burned ourselves! These things are hot – they’re full of batteries!.

It’s such a struggle to protect your integrity and dignity in this industry … they really want to attack your morality and your beliefs. They need you to give up a certain part of yourself before they’ll initiate you into ‘stardom’ … I’ve always been kind of a hermit. I find my joy in the little things they want to take away from me. Prior to all this, I took pleasure from being the observer. Now I’m the observed.

[on his favourite scene in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002)] I love the sequence in which “Obi-Wan” visits “Yoda” when he’s giving lessons to the Jedi apprentices. At that moment, an image of the universe is projected because Obi-Wan is looking for the planet Kamino. I find this marvelous and very poetic.

I don’t find Hollywood interesting, so I’m thinking of studying architecture instead.

[2002] [Christensen’s father found out his son was a smoker when he saw a picture of him in Sydney, during the filming of Attack of the Clones, with a cigarette in his mouth.] He was disappointed in me. I don’t condone smoking. It’s stupid. But I still do it.

[2002] They [my parents] still nag at me when I sleep in. They’re happy for me, but they’re not really too impressed at all.

[2002] I always kind of felt like I had some sort of understanding of everything that was superior to my classmates.

[2002] [At the age of 17, I arranged some meetings in Los Angeles] to see what it was like down there.

[on rewatching the prequels in preparation for Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)] Watching them again as a whole, I was really struck with the quality and depth of the storytelling and George’s vision for all of it. It’s so nuanced, complex, and layered.

[on the newfound appreciation of the prequel trilogy from fans] It’s like those films had a gestation period, where they needed a little time to ferment in the public psyche. The reception that the films have now, it’s very heartwarming.