For such a nice, well-mannered guy, Hayden Christensen has made quite a career out of pretending to be anything but, playing liars (Shattered Glass), crooks (Jumper), and the personification of evil (Anakin Skywalker in two of the Star Wars prequels).The 29-year-old Vancouver native continues his march of mayhem in the new film Takers (out November 18), which features fellow hunks Matt Dillon and Paul Walker. In the fast-paced, stunt-laden flick, Christensen is A.J., the bomb builder in an expert crew of bank robbers who are out for the last big score before going on the straight and narrow. “I wanted to do a traditional action movie,” he says of his latest choice. “I personally really enjoy those types of films.” Given his history, we should have guessed.

One of the first things you notice about A.J., your character in the film, is that he’s covered in tattoos. Are any of those real? “No. I’ve always had a bit of an affinity for tattoos, but I don’t think I could make a decision today and know that I would still want to see it in 50 years. I had a lot of fun with A.J.’s, though. A friend of mine has a big grim reaper on his back. I always thought it was such a cool tattoo, so I had it copied.”

I heard that you often clip your hair yourself. So the style in our shoot… “Is a Hayden. I usually cut my own hair when I’m not working. I’m very adept with the dog trimmers.”

You use the same clippers on your dogs? “Not the exact ones, but the same model. It’s easier, and takes a lot less time.” Very resourceful. You and your well-groomed dogs spend time on your huge farm north of Toronto. Since you’ve already got clippers, what’s going to be your next purchase for it? “Absolutely 100 per cent it will be a nice baby grand piano for my place.”

You’re the one we hear at the keyboard in Takers, right? “Yes, I grew up playing jazz and blues. I started with classical when I was four, which I was never really interested in.”

Does what you wear in the country differ from your city attire? “It doesn’t…I don’t mind getting things dirty. I had a pair of brown Gucci boots that I wore for the longest time. They weren’t supposed to be farm boots, but they ended up there.”

How would you define ‘Canadian style’? “It’s tough for me to speak on behalf of my countrymen, but I would say it’s very comfortable. I personally wear a lot of flannel [shirts] and jeans, and I feel very Canadian when I have them on.” —Megan Deem

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After portraying a thief who can teleport himself anywhere in the 2008 hit “Jumper,” Hayden Christensen now plays a more earth-bound bank robber in Columbia Pictures’ new action-thriller “Takers.”

A recent No. 1 box-office  hit in the U.S., “Takers” also stars Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez, Michael Ealy, Tip “T.I.” Harris and Chris Brown.

In the film, a group of high-living young criminals bankroll their extravagant lifestyle with a series of painstakingly planned bank robberies while a dedicated police officer makes it his personal mission to stop them. After years of meticulously planned heists, the crew is convinced by one of their own to risk it all for one last big score, but pulling off the job of a lifetime with a dogged detective and a vicious rival gang on their tail is a tall order, even for these seasoned pros.

Hayden Christensen as AJ, an Ivy League golden boy with a taste for classic jazz and blues and a pivotal member of the heist crew. “Hayden brought in so many good ideas,” says director John Luessenhop. “He was always very thoughtful about what he was working on and how he wanted to do things. And in fact, he was usually right. He’s got great judgment and really brought the character to life. Right now, I can’t imagine anyone but Hayden as AJ.”

Christensen is probably most famous for his role as Anakin Skywalker in the “Star Wars” series, which garnered him some unwanted attention while shooting. “People in L.A. try to be very cool about seeing actors and watching films shot,” says co-star Paul Walker. “But, you know, the kid in all of us can’t help but get a little excited sometimes. ‘Oh, Anakin’s over there!’ It happened a couple of times and we never let him live it down.”

Hayden recently starred in Doug Liman’s sci-fi action film “Jumper,” opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Rachel Bilson. Christensen played David Rice, a man with the power to teleport himself around the globe who finds himself relentlessly pursued by a secret organization sworn to kill all “jumpers.” The film grossed more than $220 million worldwide. Christensen was next seen in “New York, I Love You” opposite Orlando Bloom, Julie Christie, Robin Wright, Kevin Bacon, Ethan Hawke, Natalie Portman, Rachel Bilson and Shia LaBeouf. The film is an anthology that joins several love stories set in one of the most beloved cities in the world, New York.

Christensen first gained critical acclaim for his role as a troubled teenager in Irwin Winkler’s 2001 drama “Life as a House,” costarring Kevin Kline. For his performance, Christensen was nominated for a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award. Christensen also received the award for Best Breakthrough Performance from the National Board of Review.

Other film credits include George Hickenlooper’s “Factory Girl,” Sofia Coppola’s “The Virgin Suicides,” Sarah Kernochan’s “All I Wanna Do” and John Carpenter’s “In the Mouth of Madness.” Additionally, he starred in Billy Ray’s “Shattered Glass,” which was the first feature film produced by Christensen’s production company, Forest Park Pictures.

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