We Finally Know How Ewan McGregor Took The Star Wars Prequel Backlash

The original "Star Wars" trilogy is mostly beloved by fans and critics alike, with the lowest rated film in the trilogy being "Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi." That film sits at a still-commendable 82% on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the prequel trilogy that followed decades later. Those films, which focused on the downfall of the Jedi and Anakin Skywalker's (Hayden Christensen) fall to the dark side and fully becoming Darth Vader, were not exactly received well by critics or the fanbase. The lowest rated film in the trilogy, "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace," sits at a decidedly mixed score of 52% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Obviously, this was a disappointment for fans, who had likely waited years for "Star Wars" creator George Lucas to bring viewers the next installments in his highly regarded world. But it's not unimaginable that the reception of the films had an impact on the actors as well. On the precipice of the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" miniseries finally releasing, Ewan McGregor is set to return to the eponymous character that he played in the prequel films. And now the actor is opening up about how he dealt with all of the fan and critical backlash to the prequel "Star Wars" trilogy. 

During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Ewan McGregor talked extensively about how it felt to finally be returning to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi after 17 years. McGregor also revealed his difficulty in dealing with the backlash to the "Star Wars" prequels at the time of their release. "I found it quite hard," McGregor said. ""For it to come out and get knocked so hard was personally quite difficult to deal with."

This isn't particularly surprising, especially given the popularity of the original "Star Wars" trilogy. McGregor also noted that it was especially hard because the films came so early into his career, so he wasn't exactly used to dealing with an onslaught of negative feedback. "I didn't really know how to deal with that. I'd been involved with things that just didn't make much of a ripple, but that's different from making something that makes a negative ripple."

Finally, McGregor noted that it was "challenging" because of the passion and time commitment that went into making the prequel films. Hopefully, the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" miniseries, which debuts on Disney+ on May 25, will see a different response altogether for McGregor and the "Star Wars" fanbase.