Obi-Wan has finally arrived after a very long absence, and he has brought a large group of pals with him. Some may also appear to be quite recognisable. The six-episode series on Disney+ featured a handful of faces that might not be readily familiar but will nevertheless make you wonder, “Where have I seen them before?” in keeping with George Lucas’ choice to cast largely unknowns in the original Star Wars. After all, the cast of the programme comprises actors from the indie pop scene as well as Netflix stars and Oscar candidates.
Even though it’s less ostentatious than the cameo extravaganza on “The Mandalorian,” “Obi-Wan Kenobi” is plenty of fan-favorite moments and callbacks. Fans were ecstatic to see Ewan McGregor return to the lead role and to witness Hayden Christiensen reprise his roles as Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader (yep, that’s him in the outfit). But there’s always room in the Star Wars universe for new allies and enemies, so congrats to these people on receiving lifetime open invitations to science fiction conferences.
Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi
Ewan McGregor, one of the few actors to emerge from the Star Wars prequels with his career unharmed, is essentially the only positive aspect of all three films. Before “The Phantom Menace” began filming, McGregor was well-known in the independent community for his role in “Trainspotting,” but his career has only advanced since then, which is a testament to both his brilliance and his personality. A master of transition, he consistently portrayed young Obi-Wan as an impatient Padawan, a formidable Jedi Knight, and a broken Jedi Master. In addition to providing a nice counterbalance to the unattainable passion between Padme and Anakin, Alec Guinness’ faithful (but not too faithful) portrayal of the actual “old Ben” managed to rise above even the worst of Lucas’ CGI pranks.
Along with the Star Wars prequels, McGregor has also appeared in “Birds of Prey,” “Doctor Sleep,” the “Shining” sequel, t he hit musical “Moulin Rouge,” the third season of “Fargo,” and the Netflix original series “Halston,” in which he plays the lead (and won an Emmy for his efforts). Nevertheless, fans had been eager to see McGregor reprise his role as Obi-Wan; fortunately, he was more than willing.
Flea as Vect Nokru
In the early scenes of “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Vect Norku had a crucial role in scaring, kidnapping, and failing to pursue little Leia Organa promptly. However, given all the shrieking, we can assume that this guy is dead. If you recognised his voice, it was probably because you’d heard it screaming on Spotify. Mr. Flea, who is best known as the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ bassist, also made an appearance in the 1984 film “Suburbia” and did voice acting for “Toy Story 4,” “Family Guy,” and “I Heart Arlo.” He may also be recognisable to ’80s kids as Needles from the Back to the Future movies.
Flea isn’t even the first bass musician to show up in the saga; this isn’t the first time that contemporary Star Wars has included a musical cameo. Grammy-winning bassist Stephen Bruner, often known as Thundercat in the jazz fusion scene, was a body-modification artist in “The Book of Boba Fett.”
Hayden Christensen as Anakin/Darth Vader
After “Revenge of the Sith,” Hayden Christensen had a period of relative obscurity due to the unpopularity of the prequels. However, now that an entire generation has grown up with the movies, the opportunity has arisen for everyone’s favourite sand-hater to make a triumphant comeback. In 2001’s “Life as a House,” Christensen made a modest impression prior to Star Wars, garnering nominations for both the Golden Globe and the SAG Awards. He appeared in films like “American Heist” and “90 Minutes in Heaven” after the prequels.
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” a seven-season animated saga that fleshed out the prequel era and allowed fans lots of time to witness Anakin battling with Obi-Wan, tremendously bolstered Christensen’s cause. It also helped fans understand why Padme fell in love with the Jedi Knight. Now that they are old enough to get their own Disney+ subscriptions, the children who grew up with Anakin’s Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, are ready to meet Ani once more.
When promoting “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Disney took an unique tack and positioned Christensen next to McGregor during the publicity blitz, obviously banking on Millennials’ nostalgia to offset any spoilers his casting might have given. While Obi-Wan was having a Force hallucination, fans saw a distant sight of Christensen’s face and watched the two fight once more in a scene straight out of a horror film. Perhaps Christensen’s career will take off in a galaxy a bit closer to home now that he’s not only back in Star Wars but also sporting the most recognisable villain outfit in movie history.
Indira Varma as Tala
Female Imperial officers are scarce in the Star Wars world, especially in live-action movies. When Indira Varma appeared as an officer on Mapuzo, it appeared that everything was changing when Obi-Wan Kenobi and Princess Leia were seemingly doomed.
But hold on! Tala was actually a double agent for the Empire and a friend of the fledgling Rebellion. But not Vader himself, she assisted Obi-Wan and Leia in escaping from the search team. That was handled by Obi-Wan and his goddamn nobility.
Indira Varma has appeared in unexpected locations. She has done a tonne of work for the BBC and played Ellaria Sand in “Game of Thrones.” She appeared in “Rome” on HBO and “Carnival Row” on Prime Video in the United States. What is a Star Wars production, after all, without some British accents?
Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa
Smits, a rare Star Wars actor who is more well-known for roles outside of the franchise, first appeared as Bail Organa, Leia Organa’s foster father, in the prequels and “Rogue One.” At the conclusion of “Revenge of the Sith,” he collaborates with Obi-Wan and Yoda to decide the fates of the baby Skywalker twins. He decides that Padme’s son will grow up in poverty as a farmer who unintentionally kills his family, while her daughter will live a life of luxury as a princess who also unintentionally kills her family. That Skywalker family!
Outside of the Galactic Senate chambers and the devastated planet of Alderaan, Smits can be found everywhere and in everything. Smits, a steadfast favourite among Star Wars fans, first gained notoriety in “L.A. Law.” Later, he went on to star in “NYPD Blue,” and he also had standout performances on “24,” “The West Wing,” “Dexter,” and a tonne of other shows. He never abandoned the prequels, though, and went back to Lucasfilm to reprise his role as Bail Organa in the computer game “The Force Unleashed.”
Joel Edgerton as Owen Lars
The Star Wars prequels are your best bet if you’re wondering where you’ve seen Joel Edgerton’s Owen Lars before. In “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith,” Edgerton played Luke’s uncle. Now, 17 years later, he’s back, baby, sipping that blue milk and glaring frequently at Obi-Wan.
Edgerton, an Australian native, plays the most well-known moisture farmer in the Star Wars world with a rough, folksy edge, standing akimbo when Reva confronts him, and shouting “You’re wonderin’ whether he’s showin'” in response to a tearful Obi-concern Wan’s for his nephew. We kind of want to know more about what happened to the Lars family after Luke left because of his stern yet protective portrayal of the character, yes, that’s right. Forget it.
Other than that, Edgerton played Sir Gawain in the 2004 film “King Arthur” and then played the Lord in the 2021 film “The Green Knight,” who played a game with the same Round Table member. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance in “Loving,” as well as for his roles in “Zero Dark Thirty,” which won an Academy Award, and Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of “The Great Gatsby.” Edgerton has also recently made a name for himself as a director to watch out for after directing “The King” and “Boy Erased,” both of which he also appeared in.
Kumail Nanjiani as Haja Estree
Haja Estree appears at first appearance to be the kind of Star Wars figure we’ve encountered frequently and who we can’t help but find intriguing. Haja Estree is a proud addition to the ranks of scoundrelly people who we think we can trust, but maybe not, but you know what? She is taking notes from Han Solo, whose mortality is ambiguous until the very end of “A New Hope.” Take a leap of faith with me, and hey! He ends up being a decent person after all!
Early on in the series, Kumail Nanjiani’s Haja served as a great counterpoint for Obi-Wan since he was pretending to be a Jedi while Ben was desperately trying to pass for someone or something else. In addition to playing Dinesh on “Silicon Valley,” Nanjiani was nominated for an Academy Award for co-writing “The Big Sick,” which is based on his unique relationship with his real-life wife, Emily V. Gordon. Nanjiani is also available on Disney+ in other places; Marvel fans may recognise him from “Eternals” as Kingo.
Moses Ingram as Reva, the Third Sister
Moses Ingram’s Riva, who was positioned as the series’ breakout star, was the one to inform the Jedi Master that his former Padawan was still alive. She embodies the rough edge of the Empire and is prepared to employ nefarious methods that, at this point in the Star Wars timeline, not even Palpatine is fully capable of. The Death Star is still being built in “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” and Alderaan won’t be lasered for several more years. The Emperor is continuing to act somewhat amiably in order to avert suspicion. No, Reva.
You may have seen Moses Ingram as Lady Macduff in “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” a 2021 adaptation of the famous play by Joel Coen, in addition to “Obi-Wan Kenobi” (yep, without his brother). Additionally, Ingram played Jolene in four episodes of “The Queen’s Gambit,” for which she received an Emmy nomination.
Rupert Friend as Grand Inquisitor
This metamorphosis was truly remarkable. Fans first heard the Grand Inquisitor’s voice in the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” trailers, where he delivered a lengthy monologue about the Jedi Code, how the Jedi are good people, and why it is precisely why makes them so evil.
Rupert Friend, best known for playing Prince Albert in “The Young Victoria,” is concealed beneath the Inquisitor’s pallid face paint. Yes, the threatening monologue-issuer previously sipped tea on PBS while portraying the cousin-husband of Queen Victoria and sporting sideburns. Friend has recently guest-starred on “Anatomy of a Scandal,” “Homeland,” and he also played the lead in “Hitman: Agent 47.”
Although the appearance of Friend in “Obi-Wan Kenobi” does not quite resemble that of the Grand Inquisitor in the Star Wars animated series, he is nevertheless suitably evil. In the second episode of “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” Friend was struck by Reva’s lightsaber, but this is Star Wars. That proves that no one has ever truly left, for better or worse.
Sung Kang as Fifth Brother
Sung Kang, who portrays Fifth Brother, an Inquisitor who is seeking not only Obi-Wan Kenobi but also his own coworkers, gives a terrifying performance under all that disguise. Where have you previously seen Kang? most likely hanging out with Vin Diesel and The Rock in the Fast and Furious series. Kang portrays Han Lue in “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” and several additional sequels; if you missed it, his return in “F9: The Fast Saga” was a big deal. Han Lue is not our Falcon-flying Han.
As adversaries for Jedi stragglers Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger in “Star Wars Rebels,” the Inquisitors made their animated Filoniverse debut. Even though the Inquisitors in the live-action movies seem different, they are still dangerous foes, and Fifth Brother’s hostile competition with Third Sister for Vader’s favour is quite the Sith-off.
Although Sung Kang’s voice in the programme is electronically modified, it is still recognisably his. He distinguishes himself from Riva, a rival who appears much more human, thanks to post-editing magic. Having fun with your action figure, sir!
Vivien Lyra Blair as Leia Organa
There isn’t much agreement over Princess Leia Organa’s surprisingly prominent presence in “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Some people dislike the character and would have liked greater emphasis on Kenobi or Luke Skywalker, while others applaud her snappish, impetuous behaviour as “feisty.” (My preferred conclusion: “New Coke Grogu.”) But everyone can’t deny that the young actress portraying her, Vivien Lyra Blair, is a sweetie and looks exactly like a young Carrie Fisher. Blair certainly fits the bill, and the persona excels at making life miserable for those who are risking their lives to save her while also making everything more complicated than it needs to be since, well, she’s a princess.
The gifted Ms. Blair also had an appearance as “Girl” in the 2018 film “Bird Box” (despite the generic moniker, she plays a significant role in the film as Sandra Bullock’s character’s kid). Blair also had a previous run-in with Star Wars royalty in 2020 when she played Guppy in the Robert Rodriguez film “We Can Be Heroes.” Additionally, Rodriguez helmed episodes of “The Book of Boba Fett” and “The Mandalorian.” Rodriguez also sought out Pedro Pascal for a brief cameo in “We Can Be Heroes” because he wanted to spread goodwill. Star Wars aficionados, if you don’t know where you’ve seen Pedro Pascal before, you’re lost like your father was before you.
