Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness are two of the most iconic actors who have portrayed the legendary Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars franchise. But are they related in real life? The answer is no, they are not. However, they do share some interesting connections and influences that make their performances as the same character even more remarkable.
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Ewan McGregor’s Inspiration from Alec Guinness
Ewan McGregor first played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, which showed the character’s journey from a young Padawan to a wise Jedi Knight. McGregor had the challenge of portraying a younger version of the character that Alec Guinness had established in the original trilogy, which depicted Obi-Wan as an old hermit living on Tatooine.
McGregor has said that he looked to Guinness for inspiration, especially his voice and mannerisms. He studied Guinness’ performances in the original films, as well as some of his earlier roles, to capture his essence and infuse it into his own portrayal. He also tried to emulate Guinness’ wit and humor, which he said came from “the twinkle in his eye”.
McGregor has also expressed his admiration and respect for Guinness, who died in 2000. He said that he felt honored to play the same character as him, and that he hoped to do him justice. He also revealed that he had a chance to meet Guinness once, when he was a young actor working at a London theater. He said that he was too starstruck to talk to him, but that he was very kind and gracious.
Denis Lawson, the Link Between Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness
While Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness are not related by blood, they do have a family connection through another Star Wars actor: Denis Lawson. Lawson played Wedge Antilles, a Rebel pilot who fought alongside Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy. He is also McGregor’s uncle in real life.
Lawson was one of the few actors who appeared in all three original films, and he became a fan favorite for his role as Wedge. However, he was not very enthusiastic about the Star Wars phenomenon, and he even warned McGregor not to join the prequel trilogy. McGregor said that Lawson had a dismissive attitude toward the franchise, and that he told him not to do it.
However, McGregor did not listen to his uncle’s advice, and he went on to play Obi-Wan Kenobi. He said that he had no regrets about his decision, and that he loved being part of the Star Wars universe. He also said that he was proud of his uncle’s role as Wedge, and that he hoped to see him again in a future Star Wars project.
Lawson did return to the Star Wars saga briefly in 2019, when he reprised his role as Wedge Antilles in Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. He appeared as a cameo during the final battle against the First Order, where he piloted an X-wing fighter once more.
Conclusion
Ewan McGregor and Alec Guinness are two actors who have given memorable performances as Obi-Wan Kenobi in different eras of the Star Wars franchise. They are not related by blood, but they do share some connections and influences that make their portrayals even more fascinating. They are both inspired by each other’s work, and they are both linked by Denis Lawson, who played Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy and is McGregor’s uncle.
