Hayden Christensen
Hayden Christensen (born April 19, 1981)[1] is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader in the Star Wars media franchise. He first appeared in the prequel trilogy films, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), and later reprised his role in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and Ahsoka (2023).
Hayden Christensen
April 19, 1981
Actor
1993–present
Rachel Bilson (2007–2017)
1
- Tove Christensen (brother)
Christensen began his career on Canadian television at the age of 13, then diversified into American television in the late 1990s. His early work includes Sofia Coppola's The Virgin Suicides (1999), Life as a House (2001), and Shattered Glass (2003). He earned praise for his performances as Sam in Life as a House and as Stephen Glass in Shattered Glass. Christensen's honours include the nominations for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as the Cannes Film Festival's Trophée Chopard. His other notable works include Awake (2007), Jumper (2008), Takers (2010), and Little Italy (2018).
Early life
Christensen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia to Alie, an American speechwriter, and David Christensen, a Canadian computer programmer and communications executive.[1][2] His father is of Danish descent, and his mother has Swedish and Italian ancestry.[2] Christensen is one of four children, with three actor siblings: older brother Tove, older sister Hejsa, and younger sister Kaylen.[1][3] He spent summers on Long Island with his maternal grandmother, Rose Schwartz.[4]
Christensen attended Unionville High School in Markham, Ontario.[5] He was an athlete in high school, playing hockey competitively and tennis on a provincial level.[4] He attended the Actors Studio in New York City; he studied as well at the Arts York drama program in high school.[6] After accompanying his older sister to her agent's office after she landed a role in a Pringles commercial, he began being cast in commercials as well, including for Triaminic cough syrup in 1988.[6]
Career
1993–2005
Christensen made his acting debut in September 1993, when, at the age of 12, he played a supporting role on the German-Canadian television series Macht Der Leidenschaft/Family Passions.[7] The following year, he had a minor role in John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness.[7] From 1995 through 1999, he appeared in several films and television series, including Harrison Bergeron, Forever Knight, Goosebumps, The Virgin Suicides, and Are You Afraid of the Dark?[7]
He acquired wider notice while starring in Fox Family Channel's television series Higher Ground in 2000, portraying a teen who was sexually molested by his stepmother, and then turned to drugs in his despair.[7][8]
Christensen's critically acclaimed portrayal of a misunderstood teenager in Life as a House (2001) earned him Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations, as well as the National Board of Review's award for Breakthrough Performance of the Year.[9][10][11] However, the performance did not receive widespread public notice.[8] In 2002, Christensen made his London theatre debut with Jake Gyllenhaal and Anna Paquin in This Is Our Youth.[12]
He went on to receive positive reviews for 2003's Shattered Glass, which tells the true story of journalist Stephen Glass, who was discovered to be fabricating stories as a writer for The New Republic and other publications.[13][14] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone wrote, "Hayden Christensen is sensational as Glass, finding the wonder boy and the weasel in a disturbed kid flying high on a fame he hasn't earned."[15] In 2005, Christensen made his Broadway debut when he appeared briefly in a 10-minute play.
In 2005, he took part in the fifth annual "24 Hour Plays" benefit, which raises cash for nonprofit groups in the Big Apple.[16]
Personal life
In 2007, Christensen began dating actress Rachel Bilson, with whom he starred in the movie Jumper. They became engaged on December 25, 2008.[58][59] In mid-2010, they broke up, but began dating again a few months later.[60][61][62][63] On October 29, 2014, Bilson gave birth to their daughter.[64] Christensen and Bilson separated in September 2017.[65]
In 2007, Christensen bought a farm near Uxbridge, Ontario.[66][67] He noted in 2008 that he had been renovating the property himself and devoting time to learning about "livestock, crops, and agricultural machinery".[66] In November 2013, Christensen collaborated with Canadian fashion chain RW&Co to release a men's clothing line inspired by his farm.[68]
An avid Toronto Maple Leafs fan,[69] Christensen performed a public service announcement for Do Something's Teens for Jeans Campaign in 2008.[70] He modelled in Louis Vuitton's advertising,[71] and was also named as the face of Lacoste's newest fragrance, Lacoste Challenge.[72] He was featured in RED's Lazarus Effect Campaign, which is intended to increase awareness for its efforts to fight AIDS in Africa.[73][74]