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Star Wars: The Force Awakens - Ewan McGregor's cameo role revealed

'When you hear him talk it is both Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor doing the voice'

Jack Shepherd
Sunday 20 December 2015 14:53 GMT
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While the names Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, along with newcomers Oscar Isaac, John Boyega and Daisy Ridley have dominated the Star Wars: The Force Awakens posters, it turns out there were actually a lot of big names never revealed before the film's release.

In an earlier behind the scenes clip, Simon Pegg was shown to appear in the film. Then, after its release, we discovered current James Bond Daniel Craig plays a Stormtrooper.

Now, the world has been made aware that Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, Ewan McGregor, actually cameos in the film, performing some brand new dialogue.

*Caution spoilers ahead*

During a flashback scene brought about by Rey touching Luke’s old lightsaber, a voice is heard whispering the name ‘Rey’.

It was originally thought that the voice actor who played Kenobi in the Clone Wars TV series, James Arnold Taylor, said the name out loud, yet he revealed on Twitter that director JJ Abrams got McGregor to overdub his voice.

He wrote on Twitter: “It was me originally but they replaced me with some guy named Ewan McSomething…”

Many believe this could mean that Rey’s parentage, which is currently unconfirmed, could lead back to Obi-Wan Kenobi, yet Taylor points out that Yoda is also heard in the flashback.

JJ Abrams has since confirmed that it is McGregor's voice being heard in the flashback, telling Entertainment Weekly: "You do hear a little bit of Yoda. You hear Luke yelling out, ‘Nooo!’ from that moment in Empire. And you hear Obi-Wan at the end say, ‘Rey … these are your first steps."

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Exclusive European Premiere Report

He continued: "Here’s the cool part. We asked Ewan McGregor to come in and do the line. And he was awesome and we were very grateful. He was incredibly sweet and handsome, and all that stuff. Then he rode off on his motorcycle. Literally the coolest voice over actor ever."

Not only was McGregor's voice used, however. It turns out they cut up Alex Mguiness saying 'afriad' from when he played Kenobi in the original trilogy: “They cut it, and you hear the performance – he’s saying it the way I would hav ebegged Alec Guinness to have said it. It is so crazy perfect.

"So when you hear Obi-Wan talk to Rey it is both Alec Guinness and Ewan McGregor doing the voice.”

In other Star Wars news, the amount Harrison Ford got paid to reprise his role as Han Solo has been revealed.

Star Wars The Force Awakens is in cinemas now.

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