Ewan McGregor reflects on Star Wars prequel criticism

Actor Ewan McGregor has reflected on the critical reception of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, which he starred in from 1999 to 2005 as the young Obi-Wan Kenobi. Speaking at the Edinburgh Film Festival, McGregor noted that while he enjoyed the films, it was difficult to see them being “dragged through the mud” by critics at the time.

McGregor admitted that joining the franchise was a difficult decision early in his career because he was primarily focused on more independent and artistic films. However, he noted that one of his biggest surprises has been discovering the enduring popularity of the films among the audience. He observed that many people who were children when the prequels were released have grown up to show that the movies are, in fact, “loved.”