From Star Wars to Factory Girl’s Dylan, and Jumper’s science fiction. The quick rise to stardom of 26 - year - old Hayden. He’s curious, cares for the environment, and loves taking pictures.
He looks around in disbelief. He is fascinated by Jumirah beach, surrounded by skyscrapers. Until a few years ago there was only desert. 26 year old Canadian actor Hayden Christensen is attending the Dubai Film Festival: “I had never been here before, nor in the Middle East or a Muslim country”, he says, “I was very curious to see the incredible development of this town, have a better understanding of the Arab world and its movie industry, which we know so little about”.
Hayden was thrown into stardom at the age of 19 by George Lucas, who preferred him instead of much more famous actors, such as Ryan Philippe or Leo diCaprio, for the role of Anakin Skywalker in Episode II and III of the Star Wars saga. Born and raised in vancouver at the age of 12 Hayden starts acting in commercials and in minor TV series, gaining a nomination to the Golden Globe for his role as a troubled teenager, addicted to drugs and rebellious, in the movie Life as a house, starring opposite Kevin Kline. He becomes Darth Vader in Star Wars and the critics are hard on him, nevertheless Christensen doesn’t hide the satisfaction that comes from the joy in the eyes of the kids who meet him. “Even if it were only for that one reason, I will always be grateful to gerge Lucas even though I am aware that it wasn’t my best acting job”.
He restores his credibility in Shattered Glass, where he portrays a journalist whose made up stories crashed the reputation of the respected New Republic, and in Factory Girl, where he re-invents Bob Dylan acting next to Sienna Miller. Considering his dramatic acting skills his choice to act in the thriller Awake leaves puzzled. Hayden himself wouldn’t recommend watching that movie, especially to those who are about to undergo surgery. In the movie, he plays a millionaire who awakes from anesthesia in the middle of open heart surgery, performed by a sadistic surgeon, and remains imprisoned without being able to give any sign of life. “We have no idea about how many people awake from anesthesia before they should finding themselves physically paralyzed, though fully able to understand what is going on around them.”
The actor has great expectations for his upcoming movie Jumper, which will be released worldwide in February. The movie, which cost 100 million dollars and was directed by Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith), is based on the sci-fi novels by Steven Gould. Hayden is a young man with a genetic mutation, which enables him to teleport anywhere in the world. he discovers not to be the only one having that ability, which has been existing for centuries in chosen people and that since then there has been a war going on between “jumpers” and the centres of power that want to erase them. Jamie Bell, Samuel Jackson, and Rachel Bilson are also in the cast, and some scenes were filmed inside the Colosseum in Rome, where Hayden lived for one month also to film the movie Decameron, which was produced by Dino De Laurentiis and has not been released so far. As the main character of the movie Jumper takes an old friend on a romantic trip in the dugouts of the Colosseum he meets another jumper for the first time, and together they experiment the threat that hangs upon them.
Q: After LAAH and SG poeple were expecting to see you in a dramatic role rather than a sci-fi movie. Why did you choose Jumper?
A: When my agent told me about Jumper for the first time, saying it would probably be part of a trilogy, I wasn’t interested in it. I wasn’t looking for other major movies. After SW I was reluctant to go for big entertainment feature films, with many scenes acted in front of a blue screen. Then I heard the movie was going to be directed by Doug Liman and everything changed. I’m a fan of his debut film Swingers. When I was 16 I used to repeat all the lines by heart. Doug challenges you in many ways, and this was a new genre for him. He is an intelligent and smert man, a wonderful person. Then I read the script, and it was fantastic. Doug himself told me that he was going to do the movie only if it was possible to make it work out logically in his mind.
Q: What is the story all about?
A: It’s the story of a cartoon-like superhero who was reinvented and based on the brain. I play a man who uses his powers for his own purposes, instead of wearing a funny costume and save the world. He robs banks, which I think is quite honest as well as more contemporary and believable. All archetypes that are associated with this kind of movies have changed. The classic superheroes like Spiderman or Superman date back to many decades ago. This is the story of a myth of our times. Dennis Rice becomes a reluctant hero in the end. He is involved in an underground war between different jumpers and the agency who wants to kill them. Well, he may not be a superhero, but he isn’t eveil either.
Q: Which of the characters you have portrayed resembles you the most?
A: A person changes during the years, and so does my identification with the characters. When I was 19 and starred in LAAH I could really relate to the suffering and rebellious character. maybe noe I feel closer to Dennis Rice. But maybe because I just played him, and I feel like he’s part of me.
Q: Do you have other passions beside acting and photography?
A: I’m into biological agriculture, I make efforts to live “green” in order not to have a negative impact on the environment. A year ago I bought a farm north of Toronto and started planting organic growings. I’m also trying not to depend on the town’s electricity supply, be autonomous by using solar panels and wind power generators. I love working the soil, and got myself a power shovel, a truck, and a bobcat. I learned how to drive them and move the soil. It’s my way to isolate from the rest of the world, a challenge.
Q: Why did you make this choice?
A: My sister moved to the countryside a couple of years ago. When visiting her, I was struck by the beauty of the place and the community surrounding it. I bought and refurbished a house, and moved there. In the meantime, I am building another one. It’s my shelter of peace when I’m off work. And my personal contribution to the future of our planet!
Source: Vanessa