“For us, it’s very similar [to Obi-Wan] in the sense that he’s in between these two trilogies,” Chow said. “So he isn’t the ‘New Hope’ Vader quite yet, you know what I mean? So we are with the character sort of in the middle of this period. It is still Vader obviously, but it’s a Vader that isn’t quite as fully formed as ‘A New Hope.’”
While “A New Hope” comparisons may be unavoidable for any new Star Wars property that features both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader, the new show fits into a larger pattern of Disney+ Star Wars shows drawing heavily from the prequel movies. Chow said that Hayden Christensen’s presence on set helped her understand the way younger fans view the prequels in a more positive light, and helped her attempt to bridge the gap and create a show that all Star Wars fans will enjoy. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. But no matter how much planning you do, it is impossible to prepare for the feeling of being on set with one of the most iconic villains in film history. “The first time I saw him in costume and the full thing going, he’s towering over me. He’s like literally almost twice my size,” she said. “It’s really intense to have such an iconic character, and then to be directing him and to be doing new scenes with him. So I do remember poor Ewan on that day, he’s like, ‘What am I, chopped liver by comparison right now?’”
