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Star Wars fans might never have guessed that Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi came from a land of bagpipes and sweet heather! But the actor who will play the young Obi-Wan does indeed hail from Scotland.
Ewan McGregor is Scotland's hottest export to the big screen since Sean Connery was Bond, James Bond. Many fans consider him the British DeNiro, quite a compliment for an actor not yet thirty years old!
Life in outer space requires special skills. McGregor had to learn the fine art of lightsaber fighting to prepare for The Phantom Menace. Menace Stunt Coordinator Nick Gillard custom-made the martial art practiced by the Jedi knight, and he said the brave young Scot was a quick study, and did most of his own stunts and saber fights for the movie. The Trainspotting star was born March 31, 1971 in Crieff, Scotland. He decided early on to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, actor Denis Lawson. With his parent's support, Ewan left home at the age of sixteen, to study acting at Kirkcaldly in Fife, and then at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. McGregor began getting parts even before graduating from the three-year drama program, and had a memorable lead role in the cult hit, Shallow Grave, but it was his portrayal of addict Mark Renton in the 1996 sleeper hit Trainspotting (based on the novel by Scotland-native Irvine Welsh) that brought him international acclaim. Since then, McGregor has made at nine films, including the ethereal comedy A Life Less Ordinary, Emma, and Brassed Off. His latest releases are Nightwatch, with Patricia Arquette, and the critically acclaimed Little Voice. Although he has made a lot of movies in the past few years, McGregor doesn't like to play the same role twice. He has also been vocal in the press about his disdain for Hollywood. And the lesson he takes with him from his youth in Scotland? "Have a good time, all the time." McGregor and his wife, production designer Eve Mavrakis, have a three-year old daughter, and live in London. Links:
Thursday, December 26th, 2019 Attention visitors: Tartans.com is back. Please note that this is a snapshot of the site as it existed nearly 20 years ago and you may encounter broken links; we are still combing through the site and correcting those as we find them. Please also note that some sections are currently not functional, primarily the discussion forums/clan chat boards.
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