‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’: Kumail Nanjiani Had to Let Director Deborah Chow Sell Him on the Show Before Accepting His Role
First, it was Marvel. Now it’s Star Wars. There would be a miles-long line of actors hoping for a 1-2 punch like that, but Kumail Nanjiani doesn’t have to hope. After getting ripped for Marvel’s Eternals movie, Nanjiani moves into another blockbuster franchise with the Star Wars-universe limited series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Aside from adding another prominent entry to his acting resumé, the Disney series lets Nanjiani fulfill a dream of acting in a Star Wars project. But before he could officially sign on to Obi-Wan Kenobi, Nanjiani had to speak with director Deborah Chow first at let her try to sell him on the project.
Kumail Nanjiani reveals details about his ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ character ahead of the premiere
Disney is fiercely protective of its properties. Producers, directors, and actors usually stay tight-lipped, but Nanjiani spilled the beans about his Obi-Wan Kenobi character ahead of time.
Nanjiani revealed his character is Haja, a street hustler/con-man plying his trade on the planet Daiyu. It’s a long way from Tatooine, where we know Obi-Wan to be based on the trailer (and the conclusion of the prequel trilogy).
Haja encounters Obi-Wan on Daiyu and gets swept up in Kenobi’s conflict, which is exactly what Haja seeks to avoid. Nanjiani’s character then has to choose between continuing to lead the life of a hustler or helping Kenobi in his quest.
It’s a unique role and one that required a Nanjiani and director Deborah Chow to talk first.
Nanjiani’s conversation with director Deborah Chow before accepting his role didn’t take long
Nanjiani has a lifelong love of Star Wars. His role in Obi-Wan Kenobi is helping him achieve a dream of being part of the expanding universe.
When he got the call from his agency that producers were interested in casting him, Nanjiani couldn’t say yes fast enough, as he told Entertainment Weekly.
Nanjiani recalled that his agency teased big news, only to make him wait so more agents could be on the phone. The big news was him being in line for his role as Haja. But Nanjiani’s agents said he had to talk to Obi-Wan Kenobi director Chow first. It was a mere formality for Nanjiani, and the conversation didn’t last long.
“I go have a Zoom with Deb. And she was kind of trying to pitch it to me to convince me why I should do it. I was like, ‘Deb, I’m going to do it. It’s Star Wars. You don’t need to, like, talk me into doing Star Wars.’”
Kumail Nanjiani
Some actors agonize over the roles they play, but signing on for Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of the easiest decisions Nanjiani has ever made.
What we know about the show
We know a little about his character in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and we know Nanjiani practically jumped at the chance to act in the series. But that’s not all we know.
The story picks up 10 years after the events of Revenge of the Sith. Obi-Wan and any Jedi who survived Order 66 are hiding from a group of inquisitors seeking to wipe them out. Kenobi resides on Tatooine as he keeps tabs on Luke Skywalker.
McGregor reprises his role from the prequel trilogy, and Hayden Christensen makes his Star Wars return. Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse, who played Owen and Beru Lars, respectively, in the prequel trilogy, also return.
Nanjiani, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Sung Kang, Rupert Friend, and Moses Ingram co-star. Friend plays the Grand Inquisitor, Ingram is Inquisitor Reva, and Kang plays a character named Fifth Brother, per IMDb.
Obi-Wan Kenobi‘s six-episode run begins with a two-episode premiere May 27, 2022, on Disney+.
