Tuesday, June 5, 2000
Who's That Babe?
By - Unknown author
Source : TEEN MAG

Full Name: Hayden Christensen
You Know Him As: Scott Barringer, the troubled, drug-addicted teen on Fox Family Channel's (now defunct) "Higher Ground."
Birthdate: April 19, 1981 (Aries)
Birthplace: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Grew Up In: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Where He Hangs His Hat These Days: In Los Angeles, where he shares an apartment with his older brother, Tove (27). Their sisters: Kaylen, 15, and Hejsa, 25 (who's a Junior World Trampoline Champion) also want to act. Height: 6'1"
What Do The 'Rents Do? They're in the communications business.
Early Start: Hayden has been acting professionally since he was seven years-old.
Hobbies: playing jazz and blues on the piano
Sports 'R' Him: Hayden is a prolific athlete excelling at everything from hockey to football to tennis. He also plays competitive beach paddle tennis with his brother; works out on the trampoline; goes skateboarding, rollerblading and mountain biking. "Growing up I played competitive Triple A hockey and I played competitive tennis and hoped to get a tennis scholarship at a university, but I got a bit sidetracked with acting." Speaking Of Acting, How'd He Get Involved In It?" Hayden broke into acting in an unusual way. His older sister did a commercial for Pringles (she was Junior World Trampoline Champion). When she went to get a talent agent, "there was no one to baby-sit me and I went along for the ride and they asked me if I wanted to do some commercials and I said sure," Hayden added. When he was 12 years old, Christensen had a continuing role in the first Canadian television soap opera, the daily hour-long Family Passions. And, Now He's landed the Role of a Lifetime- How Did He React?: I was just waking up and my [roommate] walked in and handed me the phone and it was my agent and manager, and they were pretty excited, so I knew as soon as I got on the phone. I walked outside just stunned and in disbelief. I called my mom first thing, and my roommate started blaring the Star Wars soundtrack in the background. I didn't want to tell her right off, but of course she heard the music and started flipping out!" And, now... the scoop on the way the whole ANAKIN thing went down...

And, now... the scoop on the way the whole ANAKIN thing went down... - Star Wars creator George Lucas first spotted Hayden in a tape of the pilot episode of Fox Family Channel's "Higher Ground," where Hayden stars as troubled, drug-addicted teen Scott Barringer.

- George Lucas at first thought Hayden looked too young to play the role of Anakin, but when he saw him test opposite Natalie Portman, who will play Anakin's love interest, Lucas reportedly knew he had found his man.

- A few days before signing on to Star Wars, Hayden had been set to star in a CBS movie-of-the-week with Aidan Quinn. Those plans have since been scrapped.

- Says George Lucas, Star Wars creator, about why he chose Hayden: "He is very talented, has a great command of his craft, and I know that he has the physical and emotional attributes to play Anakin Skywalker at perhaps the most complex stage of Anakin's life."

- Hayden plans to do most his stunts in the movie, and is spending about a month training for the physical demands of the role.

- Hayden will leave for Australia, where the movie is shooting, in June, and will be there from June through December.

- Hayden actually knew he had landed the role a while before it leaked to the public. Says Hayden: "I had this great secret I was so excited about, but I couldn't tell anybody. So I was always walking around with this big smile on my face and everyone was like, 'So, why are you so happy?' I was like, 'Yeah, you'll find out soon enough.' "

- Since being cast to lay one of the most famous roles in Hollywood, Hayden is about to experiencing a whole new level of fame. Is he prepared? "Of course, it's petrifying, especially coming from the position I was in prior to Star Wars. It'll be a change and, you know, you deal with it as it comes along and just hope you can cope," Hayden says.

Was it the chemistry with Natalie Portman that got him the part?

- Hayden believes that his chemistry with Natalie Portman won him the role because Episode II centers on the steamy relationship between his character and her QUEEN AMIDALA. Christensen says, "The auditions became all about meeting Natalie. It was just the thrill of shooting with her. I believe I have chemistry with her and that is key to my getting the part."

- Hayden says that there's no chance his new fame will go to his head, because his family will help keep him in check. "(Tove) says that I've ruined it for him. He's like, 'You're not Darth Vader. Come on! I just kicked your ass last week. Come on!' " Hayden laughs.

- Hayden beat out 441 actors who auditioned or sent audition tapes for the role of Anakin, who later becomes Darth Vader.

- Says Hayden on the long auditioning process: "The entire time I've been involved in the casting process - for eight months -- actually, being in Star Wars seemed so far-fetched. When they told me I was going to Skywalker Ranch to audition, it became about meeting Natalie (Portman, who plays Anakin's romantic interest, Queen Amidala) and just the thrill of shooting a scene from Star Wars. I figured I'd get to walk away with some souvenirs, like a couple of hats."

- Hayden and bro Tove, who has also worked as an actor, have a production company together, and plan on making an indie film together once Star Wars wraps.

- One of the things Hayden is most excited about in landing the role is the opportunity to travel. "I've never been outside of North America, so it'll be an awesome way to see the world!" he says.