Hayden Christensen
- Actor
- Producer
- Executive
Hayden Christensen was born April 19, 1981 in Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada. His parents, Alie and David Christensen, are in the communications business. He is of Danish (father) and Swedish and Italian (mother) descent. Hayden grew up in Markham, Ontario, with siblings Kaylen, Hejsa, and Tove. Hayden set out to become an actor when a chance encounter at the age of eight placed him in his first commercial, for Pringles. When he was thirteen, he had starring roles in several dramatic television series.
His biggest break was a major part in the Fox Family Network's
Higher Ground (2000). On the
series, Hayden showed off his acting talent as a teen who was sexually
molested by his stepmother, and turns to drugs in despair. Later, he
appeared in the television movie
Trapped in a Purple Haze (2000),
where he co-starred with his friend
Jonathan Jackson. Hayden also had a role in the film The Virgin Suicides (1999).
On May 12,
2000, it was announced that Christensen would star as Anakin Skywalker in
the prequels
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
and
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005).
The star was chosen by director
George Lucas because he felt that
Hayden had raw talent and good chemistry with actress
Natalie Portman. Lucas stunned the movie
world by picking the then-unknown actor after he had turned down such
big names as Leonardo DiCaprio and
Jonathan Jackson, as well as
400 other candidates.
His role as the troubled, misunderstood teenager Sam Monroe in Irwin Winkler's Life as a House (2001) won him 'Breakthrough Performance of the Year' from the National Board of Review. The film also placed him as a nominee for 'Best Supporting Actor' at both the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Hayden then starred in Shattered Glass (2003), quoted by some of the real Stephen Glass' colleagues as giving an eerie and uncanny portrayal.
Since his Star Wars days, Hayden has headlined several action films, including Jumper (2008) and Takers (2010).
When not working, he enjoys spending quality time with his family (such as big brother Tove), hanging out with his friends, and exploring other hobbies such as the blues, jazz and piano.
Hayden was in a relationship with actress Rachel Bilson from 2007 to 2017. The two have a child, born in 2014.
Columbia, Canada. His parents, Alie and David Christensen, are in the communications business. He is of Danish (father) and Swedish and Italian (mother) descent. Hayden grew up in Markham, Ontario, with siblings Kaylen, Hejsa, and Tove. Hayden set out to become an actor when a chance encounter at the age of eight placed him in his first commercial, for Pringles. When he was thirteen, he had starring roles in several dramatic television series.
His biggest break was a major part in the Fox Family Network's
Higher Ground (2000). On the
series, Hayden showed off his acting talent as a teen who was sexually
molested by his stepmother, and turns to drugs in despair. Later, he
appeared in the television movie
Trapped in a Purple Haze (2000),
where he co-starred with his friend
Jonathan Jackson. Hayden also had a role in the film The Virgin Suicides (1999).
On May 12,
2000, it was announced that Christensen would star as Anakin Skywalker in
the prequels
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
and
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005).
The star was chosen by director
George Lucas because he felt that
Hayden had raw talent and good chemistry with actress
Natalie Portman. Lucas stunned the movie
world by picking the then-unknown actor after he had turned down such
big names as Leonardo DiCaprio and
Jonathan Jackson, as well as
400 other candidates.
His role as the troubled, misunderstood teenager Sam Monroe in Irwin Winkler's Life as a House (2001) won him 'Breakthrough Performance of the Year' from the National Board of Review. The film also placed him as a nominee for 'Best Supporting Actor' at both the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Hayden then starred in Shattered Glass (2003), quoted by some of the real Stephen Glass' colleagues as giving an eerie and uncanny portrayal.
Since his Star Wars days, Hayden has headlined several action films, including Jumper (2008) and Takers (2010).
When not working, he enjoys spending quality time with his family (such as big brother Tove), hanging out with his friends, and exploring other hobbies such as the blues, jazz and piano.
Hayden was in a relationship with actress Rachel Bilson from 2007 to 2017. The two have a child, born in 2014.