In 1977, cinema fans were astonished by an extraordinary new adventure in a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars birthed a new generation of nerd culture spanning all ages, races, and genders. Prolific characters like Leia Organa, Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader captivated audiences with one film. As fans bought lightsabers to pretend to be Luke, one character stood out because of how terrifying he was, both in physical presence and when he spoke.

Darth Vader reigned among some of the scariest villains in movies for decades. With his death grip and red lightsaber, this villain clearly had an epic backstory. While James Earl Jones voiced the villain, Lucasfilm’s announcement to tell Darth Vader’s backstory in a prequel trilogy signaled that fans needed more than a recognizable voice. In Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, audiences would meet a young Anakin Skywalker who was thought to be The Chosen One. In the following two episodes, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, a teenage and young adult Anakin would need to be cast.

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Updated January 12th, 2023: If you’re a lover of all things Star Wars related, you’ll be happy to know this article has been updated with additional content to keep it fresh and up-to-date.

Hayden Christensen’s performance as Anakin — complex and tortured — ultimately proved why he won the role, but with a Hollywood franchise as big as Star Wars, the race was definitely on. Many young actors were up for the role of Anakin. Indeed, here are ten who were almost cast as the Skywalker patriarch.

Ryan Phillippe

     Saban Films

Ryan Phillippe made his mark in iconic films like Cruel Intentions and I Know What You Did Last Summer. Even though the former film was the actor’s breakout performance, it was his role as Sebastian Valmont that revealed his uncanny ability to play a sinister person.

Of course, sometimes an actor’s versatility isn’t enough. And even though Phillippe’s star was rising at the time of Attack of the Clones’s casting, according to MTV, Lucasfilm wanted someone younger slightly younger for the role of Anakin.

Colin Hanks

     The WB

Just like his famous father, Colin Hanks is quite the talented actor. His breakout role was in the late 90s as Alex Whitman on the TV series Roswell. The series follows three human-alien hybrids meant to save their species. Considering the sci-fi elements of this show, Hanks would have been a near-perfect casting.

In fact, We Got This Covered reports that “Hanks was attached to the role very early on in development.” Even though playing Anakin didn’t work out for Hanks, he remained successful across TV and film as both an actor and director.

Devon Sawa

     New Line Cinema 

Ultimate ’90s heartthrob Devon Sawa dazzled audiences with his roles in beloved hits like Casper and Now and Then before appearing in the nightmare-worthy horror hit Final Destination. Though he shifted his focus to independent films in the 2000s, Sawa’s career trajectory could have looked quite a bit different had he nabbed the coveted role of Anakin in the blockbuster franchise.

The actor revealed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that he was one of the last men standing and a leading contender for the sought-after role, expressing how he was a huge Star Wars fan and revealing, “There were five of us going for it, and then they ended up going with Hayden Christensen from Vancouver, and he did a great job, but, you know, I was heartbroken.”

Paul Walker

     Universal Pictures

The late Paul Walker was another contender for the coveted role of Anakin Skywalker. Even though Walker was a Fast and Furious fan favorite, he had quite the TV career before playing Brian O’Conner. He was a serious regular on the soap opera The Young and The Restless. At the time that Lucasfilm was casting Anakin, rumors had circulated that Walker was in major contention, but it ultimately fell through. Despite this, of course, Walker went on to start in the Fast and Furious franchise for seven films before his tragic death.

James Van Der Beek

     Columbia Tri-Star

Another 90s heartthrob, James Van Der Beek was rumored to be in line for Anakin Skywalker. In an interview with Express, the actor revealed, “When I was a kid, my dream role would’ve been Anakin Skywalker.” However, Van Der Beek was already attached to another prolific role: Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek. After five years of the popular teen drama, Van Der Beek appeared in various TV shows like One Tree Hill and as a fictionalized version of himself in the criminally gone-too-soon ABC comedy Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23.

Chris Klein

Renowned for his role as Oz in the American Pie franchise, Chris Klein has an innocent demeanor that would have been perfect for the introduction to young adult Anakin. Klein was one of 700 actors who answered the casting call and sent in audition tapes, and he would become one of 300 actors in talks of carrying the mantle, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Though it is uncertain as to why he wasn’t chosen, his age could have been a factor. When the casting call went out Klein was 21 years old, two years older than the casting director intended.

Christian Bale

     New Line Cinema

Before becoming the DC’s Caped Crusader, Christian Bale had quite the filmography. Bale has a knack for playing prolific characters like Demetrious in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Thomas in Disney’s Pocahontas, and, of course, Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.

In an interview with The Guardian, regarding rumors of his attachment to playing Anakin, Bale said, “You wouldn’t have heard that from me. My lips are sealed." Considering how other contenders, like Phillippe, were “too old,” Bale was 26 years old at the time of the casting call, which may have been reason enough not to cast him.

Topher Grace

     Carsey-Werner Distribution

That 70s Show breakout star Topher Grace charmed audiences with his goofy and lovable portrayal of Point Place misfit Eric Foreman, before transitioning to the big screen with roles in Spider-Man 3 and Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! during the celebrated sitcom’s impressive tenure.

Grace auditioned for the role of Anakin in Attack of the Clones, humorously telling Deadline, “I was there basically because my haircut looked like Jake Lloyd’s, I think. And I’d still love to be in a Star Wars movie someday, but I can’t imagine I’m the right guy for them. I guess I’ll have to make do with riding the ride at Disneyland.” The actor went on to find major success with films like BlacKkKlansman and American Ultra and the comedy series Home Economics.

Heath Ledger

     Buena Vista Pictures

One of the best superhero villain portrayals was given by the late Heath Ledger as The Joker in The Dark Knight. However, before he changed the way villains were portrayed on-screen, Ledger played a wide variety of characters. Some of his most notable roles were as William Thatcher in A Knight’s Tale and the chauvinistic Patrick Verona in 10 Things I Hate About You. Even though Ledger’s attachment to Anakin Skywalker was based on rumors, his ability to portray someone sweet-yet-vile is reason enough to believe them.

Leonardo DiCaprio

     Warner Bros.

Possibly one of the most successful child actors turned movie star of his generation, Leonardo DiCaprio has played so many prolific characters, it’s overwhelming. Outside of films like What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and Titanic, DiCaprio had several roles on TV including being on the hit show Growing Pains, at the time of Lucasfilm casting Anakin. His versatility throughout his entire career is enough to believe why he was a contender for the Star Wars role. That being said, DiCaprio wasn’t ready to take on such a prolific role at the time.