Actor Hayden Christensen has made a rare public appearance with his daughter, who he shares with actress Rachel Bilson. Famous for portraying Anakin Skywalker, Christensen usually keeps a low profile and tends to avoid showcasing his family in the limelight.
Yet, he attended the opening of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art with his daughter in tow. The 45-year-old was captured on camera at the Los Angeles event with 11-year-old Briar Rose. This marks the youngster’s first red carpet appearance, with the father and daughter posing for photographs together.
Rose was also asked about seeing her father play the iconic villain of Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” prequels. She replied, “It was really cool when I saw him up there. It’s kind of funny.”
Hayden Christensen Poses With Rarely Seen Daughter
Christensen and Rose could be seen standing together while holding hands. The actor wore a dark blue jacket, black t-shirt, and jeans, while his daughter was dressed in a white dress. It marks an unusual public appearance for Rose, whose parents have been careful about keeping her away from the spotlight.
“This is really special for me,” he said to E! News. “We’re very happy to be here, and it’s a real treat to get to share this with my daughter.”
Christensen began dating Bilson back in 2007. The pair previously starred in both “Jumper” and “New York, I Love You,” before getting engaged in 2008. They then ended their relationship in 2010 but got back together and Bilson later gave birth to Rose in 2014. Bilson and Christensen subsequently separated permanently in 2017 but have remained close and continue to co-parent.
He has previously spoken about watching the “Star Wars” movies with Rose. However, he admitted to being hesitant due to Anakin Skywalker’s storyline, which becomes increasingly dark.
“She loved it,” Christensen explained. “She was really taken by the whole story and the whole world.”
Christensen Open To Returning As Darth Vader
GettyChristensen’s appearance at the event is not surprising given his strong “Star Wars” connection. George Lucas cast the then young actor as Anakin Skywalker for the first prequel movie in 1999. He carried on the roel for all three prequels films and has since reprised the role for other projects.
He praised Lucas at the opening gala, describing the filmmaker’s influence on his life as “immeasurable.”
At the same event, Christensen also made it clear that he was open to portraying Darth Vader again. While reflecting on how the perception of the prequel trilogy has changed, he refused to rule out a future return.
The actor has already been confirmed to be reprising the role in the upcoming second season of “Ahsoka.” He also had a significant role in the television series “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” which saw him once again act opposite Ewan McGregor.
When asked about a potential reprisal, he did not provide any concrete details about future plans. “I would be thrilled to get to do that,” he said, before adding “right now, those are just rumors.”
