There are six movies in the Star Wars franchise so far. Between them is an assortment of Jedi Knights, Sith lords, bounty hunters, and members of the Republic, the Empire and the Rebel Alliance, which naturally calls for a large cast.
Throughout the decades actors have been thrilled to discover that they’ve landed the chance to be part of the Star Wars’ universe. Their announcements of the big news often come with plenty of pomp and fanfare.
In 2014, there was great excitement when the cast of The Force Awakens was announced. Fans were delighted at the choices made, and rejoiced to hear that Star Wars’ stalwarts such as Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher would return for the seventh chapter.
With that in mind, M-Net Movies is taking a look at ten actors from the six movies and where they are now.
Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker)
Star Wars was a big break for Hamill, launching him into the public eye as he took on the part of young Jedi hopeful, Luke Skywalker. Despite his leading role in the massive franchise, he didn’t retain his movie star status. He has, however, had a prolific career as a voice over artist, earning much acclaim in the field.
Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia)
Her role in Star Wars turned her into a star. However, her story panned out much the same way as Hamill’s. After Star Wars Fisher went from focusing on acting to voice work and writing. Although she later expressed regret at accepting the role, she seems to have embraced her past and will return in The Force Awakens.
Harrison Ford (Han Solo)
We all know what happened to Ford. Not only was he part of the hugely successful Star Wars franchise, but he landed another George Lucas’ piloted franchise: the titular character in the wildly popular Indiana Jones’ movies. Ford starred in three instalments in the ‘80s, and reprised his role in 2008. In 2015 Ford will make another reprisal, this time returning as Han Solo in The Force Awakens. In addition to these massive franchises, he has had roles in critical and commercial hits, from Blade Runner and Apocalypse Now to The Fugitive and Witness, working alongside Hollywood’s directing greats.
James Earl Jones (voice of Darth Vader)
The story of how James Earl Jones overcame his stutter as a child by becoming involved with public speaking and acting is well known. It is thus quite a poetical conclusion to his boyhood tale that his voice has become so renowned. But it’s not just his work as Darth Vader, Mufasa and the voice of CNN that makes him so admired. Jones has long been a veteran of stage and screen, and has won awards in both mediums. In 2011 he received an Honorary Academy Award; and today, at the age of 82, he is still acting.
Frank Oz (Yoda)
Having established himself as a master puppeteer through his work on The Muppets, there could be no one better to handle Yoda. Oz has provided the voice for Yoda in all six movies, as well as being the main puppeteer for the original trilogy and The Phantom Menace. Today Oz is still acting, and continues his work as a director.
Hayden Christensen (Anakin Skywalker)
Like Hamill and Fisher, Christensen was launched to superstardom thanks to Star Wars. During his time with the franchise he also acted in Life as a House, for which he received critical acclaim. Although his star faded after Star Wars, he continues to act.
Natalie Portman (Padmé Amidala)
Successful child actors in Hollywood don’t often make the transition to successful adult actor. Natalie Portman is one of the exceptions. From her breakout debut in Luc Besson's Léon, Portman’s star has continued to shine. Since her time on Star Wars she has become a popular leading lady. She received especially high praise and heaps of awards, including an Oscar, for her role in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan.
Jake Lloyd (Anakin Skywalker)
Unfortunately child actor Jake Lloyd did not enjoy the same success as Portman. He landed the role of the young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace, beating 3 000 other hopefuls. Although it may seem like a dream come true for many young boys, his part in the franchise led to him being bullied at school and stress from doing interviews on the red carpet. Consequently, Lloyd retired from acting in the early 2000s.
Liam Neeson (Qui-Gon Jinn)
Irish actor Liam Neeson was already a star when he came on board for Star Wars, having received praise for his work in films such as Schindler's List and Michael Collins. He continued working with much success after his time on the hit franchise was finished, and has turned into quite the action star in his later years with the Taken movies.
Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
Scottish actor Ewan McGregor was also established when he joined the Star Wars franchise, having skyrocketed his career with his portrayal as Mark Renton in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting. After his first Star Wars instalment he proved he could sing too, starring in the hit musical Moulin Rouge alongside Nicole Kidman. He is still acting today, finding his niche in independent films with an occasional foray back into blockbusters. He has also had great success with his motorcycle journeys with Charley Boorman across Europe, Asia, North America and Africa.
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