Ewan McGregor's Disturbing Experience: What Really Happened During the Filming of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones

The Star Wars speeder chase scenes may cause motion sickness, as experienced by Ewan McGregor while filming a memorable sequence in Attack of the Clones.

In a 2002 interview with Star Wars Insider Magazine, McGregor unveiled some of the challenges he faced during the production of the upcoming film at that time. The speeder chase on Coruscant remains unforgettable, but it affected him for a different reason. "There's a speeder chase sequence at the beginning that I'm really excited to see," McGregor hinted. "However, while filming it, we were on a rocking speeder, and it eventually made me feel nauseous. It felt like repeatedly going on a fairground ride where you can't take a break to have a hot dog – you just have to keep going. The actual chase sequence will be something remarkable, but the experience was simply sickening!"

This excerpt from over 20 years ago is captivating to read, especially considering McGregor's current connection with Star Wars as a family affair. It's also intriguing to contemplate how the scene would have been filmed differently today, using the immersive monitor setup of the Volume rather than the more commonly used blue screen method at the time. Nevertheless, the use of blue screens resulted in an exhilarating reveal for McGregor when he saw the final product. "When you see the finished film, it's quite awesome," he expressed. "It's strange — it's like watching somebody else, because the portion you filmed was surrounded by blue, and then you witness the entire environment around you. It's surreal."

Most likely, nobody anticipated McGregor would still be portraying Obi-Wan after all these decades, let alone having to speak out against racist attacks aimed at his Obi-Wan Kenobi co-star. Nonetheless, the unpleasant experience on the set of Attack of the Clones failed to deter him. His remarks about the speeder sequence feeling reminiscent of "a fairground ride" almost seem prophetic, considering the abundance of Star Wars attractions found in several Disney parks nowadays. Additionally, the initial lukewarm reception of Hayden Christensen's portrayal of Anakin Skywalker in the same film eventually transformed into genuine adoration and appreciation from countless fans over the recent years, marking a positive change for audiences.

Attack of the Clones continues to be a significant and unforgettable chapter in the LEGO and Star Wars collaboration. McGregor's reflections on the film's production techniques, such as the enduring use of the hydraulic rig for the speeder scenes, are still relevant today. This film serves as a captivating time capsule of an iconic moment in the franchise. Stream Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones on Disney Plus.

Source: Star Wars Insider Magazine (via archive.org)