Star Wars: Joseph Fiennes Very Nearly Played Obi-Wan Kenobi

For Star Wars fans, it is almost impossible to imagine another actor taking up the prequel’s […]

September 5, 2017, 5:00pm

For Star Wars fans, it is almost impossible to imagine another actor taking up the prequel’s take on Obi-Wan Kenobi save for Ewan McGregor. The Scottish actor found global fame thanks to the sci-fi role, but there was a time when McGregor’s part in the film was in the balance. The actor was not the only star auditioning for the role, and a select few actors came close to nabbing the role. Now, one in-demand actor has revealed he was one of the finalists for Obi-Wan, and Joseph Fiennes is recalling how his final audition went south fast.

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Recently, Fiennes sat down with The Wrap to talk about his on-going work with Hulu’s hit series The Handmaid’s Tale. It was there the actor admitted he had rather memorable audition tale to tell, and the gig was for one of Hollywood’s biggest series.

While Fiennes played coy at first, the actor let out enough information to source the film to Star Wars.

“I auditioned for a great director,” Fiennes started. “It was whittled down after many auditions to myself and another fine actor who I was at that time at drama school with.”

The Wrap independently confirmed Fiennes and McGregor were classmates as Guildhall School of Music and Drama way back when. The Londoners went on to pursue their acting careers, but the pair apparently reunited under the guise of Star Wars.

Fiennes went on to say he moved forward with audition levels until he got to do a test in front of a director and Robin Gurland, a casting director. After finishing, Fiennes went to meet George Lucas and his daughter.

“I auditioned for a great director,” Fiennes said as he began his story. “It was whittled down after many auditions to myself and another fine actor who I was at that time at drama school with.”

However, the encounter would up being a pitfall for Fiennes. “His daughter turned around and said ‘I don’t like this guy. He’s weird. I don’t like him.’ And that’s how my audition went,” Fiennes recalled.

Obviously, McGregor was the man who ultimately nabbed the role, but Fiennes sounds like he put up a good fight. Following his Star Wars appeal, the actor went on to star in critically acclaimed projects like Elizabeth, Enemies at the Gate, and American Horror Story.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is the second film in the new Star Wars sequel trilogy that began with Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015. The film will deal with Luke training Rey to become a, and possibly the last, Jedi. Meanwhile, the Resistance, including Poe Dameron and First Order defector Finn, continues to fight against the First Order, led by General Hux, while Supreme Leader Snoke and his Dark Side follower Kylo Ren continue their mysterious plot.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi is written and directed by Rian Johnson and stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Gwendoline Christie, Andy Serkis, Benicio Del Toro, Laura Dern, and Kelly Marie Tran.