Star Wars: 10 Actors' Roles That Ruin Their Classic Character

Things may never seem the same again in that galaxy far, far away.

Star Wars Mark Hamill
Lucasfilm/Miramax

In just a couple of months’ time, one of the most beloved franchises in film history will return to either elevate the series back to past glories or inspire nerd-rage the likes of which has never been seen. I am of course referring to Star Wars: The Force Awakens which, as well as bringing in some fresh-faced protagonists, will force us to confront our own fragile mortality by wheeling out the ageing cast of the original trilogy.

George Lucas’ sci-fi behemoth undoubtedly defined careers (while taking others out back with a shotgun) and sometimes it’s hard to reconcile roles taken on by the series’ actors since without it jading your view of their original performance. Nostalgia desperately clings to your image of the cast as smooth talking space pirates and kickass warrior princesses but alas, as is often the case with Hollywood; things turned sad, weird or just plain dull.

With the backing of everyone’s favourite mouse-worshipping fun cult, the Star Wars franchise is set to soar into a trilogy of trilogies and enter the realm of the spin-off. Let’s be honest, who doesn't want to watch a morose, gritty take on being a fighter pilot or have the alluring mystique that keeps Boba Fett an expo circuit mainstay removed completely? Oh...

Speaking of ruining things, let’s take a look at roles which are such an antithesis to the actor's Star Wars performance that it leaves an awkward feeling in the pit of your fandom.

10. Ewan McGregor Is A Heroin Addict - Trainspotting

Star Wars Mark Hamill
Film4

In one of the more successful aspects of the prequel trilogy, Ewan McGregor plays Obi-Wan as he transitions from headstrong Padawan to fully fledged Jedi knighthood. Constantly overcoming impossible odds and possessing all the skills which I assume pay whatever bills space monks have, he’s everything we expect from a paragon of galactic goodness. McGregor did a stellar job with the role, whether he was throwing out wry quips or racked with guilt that his apprentice became an evil robot. He may have made mistakes along the way but we still trusted his judgement.

The same cannot be said for Renton, McGregor’s smacked-out Scottish junkie in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting. There is nothing remotely virtuous to be found rattling around within Renton’s drawn, skeletal attempt at a human body. He’s such a bottomless ethical void that he ends up bedding an under-age girl and even the way he escapes the addiction spiral he's found himself in is morally dubious at best. Last time I checked stealing from scumbags is still stealing. 

Once you've seen a grown man hallucinate that he’s swimming down a gag-inducing toilet to collect a suppository, it’s hard to take him seriously as he preaches restraint to the moody wooden block that was cast as Anakin Skywalker. That being said, Trainspotting makes withdrawal look twice as arduous as Jedi training so score one for Renton I suppose.

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A pop culture mad writer from the North East who loves films, television and debating them with whoever will listen. Follow me on Twitter @Johno_Patterson