Many Star Wars fans were surprised when they first heard Obi-Wan Kenobi speak in The Clone Wars animated movie. They wondered: How did Lucasfilm convince Ewan McGregor to return to the iconic role for a cartoon? The answer was simple—they didn’t. The voice viewers were hearing wasn’t McGregor’s, but voice actor James Arnold Taylor‘s spot-on impression. And on the latest episode of our Alpha series Talkin’ Toons, Taylor explains the unique challenging in developing the voice and making the character his own.
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In this clip, Taylor tells host Rob Paulsen how voicing the Jedi Master wasn’t as simple as simply doing a great Ewan McGregor impersonation, as he realized McGregor was himself doing an impression of Sir Alec Guinness in the role. If that weren’t complicated enough, getting the younger Obi-Wan’s voice just right included throwing in a little Ringo Starr (once you hear it you’ll never be able to un-hear it). He also showed how his performance evolved over the course of the series, and talked about how prominently George Lucas was involved with the making of the show.
If you want to see the rest of this interview, the only place you can find full episodes of Talkin’ Toons is at our online Alpha community, where it’s just one of our many great shows. If you’re not already a member, your first 30 days are free upon sign-up!
Sir Alec Guinness, Ewan McGregor, James Arnold Taylor, and Ringo Starr would all tell you the same thing: that IS the deal you’re looking for.
What other Ewan McGregor roles would you love to hear Taylor read? Tell us your best ideas in the comments below.
Featured Image: Lucasfilm
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