Top 10 Moments That Made Us Love Ewan McGregor

So many of the Black actors and actors of color who have starred in “Star Wars” projects have been subjected to discriminatory behavior and racism. Just ask John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, who have spoken up about some of the hate they’ve received. In 2022, the incredibly talented Moses Ingram, who stars with McGregor in Disney+’s “Obi-Wan Kenobi” miniseries, received offensive messages in the wake of the show’s premiere. In response, McGregor posted a message to social media saying that those who go after Moses are “no ‘Star Wars’ fan in [his] mind.” We’re glad he decided to speak up.

Speaking of “Star Wars,” much of McGregor’s fame comes from his run as Obi-Wan Kenobi in that movie series’ prequels. But, as any fan worth their salt knows, he’s not just a franchise actor. Throughout his career, he’s starred in multiple lower-budget films, including “Shallow Grave” and “Trainspotting,” director Danny Boyle’s first couple films. In fact, the latter of those helped to propel his career forward. He also gives a touching performance in “Beginners” as the son of a man who came out later in life. Plus, he’s absolutely wonderful in “I Love You Phillip Morris.” Seriously, there are too many great performances to count.

If there’s someone who can match McGregor’s charm within the “Star Wars” franchise, it’s definitely Pedro Pascal. Pascal, who’s the titular character in the Disney + series “The Mandalorian,” sat down with McGregor for Variety’s “Actors on Actors” series – and the results were phenomenal. The two talk about everything from the pros and cons of working against a green screen to how hard it is to keep “Star Wars” secrets. And their respect for their craft and each other’s work shines through the whole segment. Both of the actors’ charms leap off screen, even when it’s just on a virtual call.

Imagine getting yelled at by Obi-Wan Kenobi for blowing through a stop sign – honestly, there are worse people who could scream at you. That little anecdote is where this moment ends, but during this segment on “The Graham Norton Show,” McGregor talks about being recognized as Obi-Wan. According to him, a lot of children don’t believe that he’s the “Star Wars” Jedi because he usually isn’t sporting the character’s signature beard. He takes it all in stride, joking about chasing down little kids to prove to them that he is indeed who he says he is. McGregor has had a lot of great moments on “Graham Norton” – including proving he’s still pretty good with a lightsaber – but this is our favorite.

McGregor has played iconic parts before — there’s obviously Obi-Wan Kenobi, there’s Halston, and so on. But this role is something else entirely. In 2018, he starred as a grown up version of Christopher Robin, Winnie the Pooh’s human best friend. The film follows the character as an adult who has lost his sense of childlike wonderment. And it’s up to Pooh and his friends to help him get it back. In an interview about the film, McGregor said the part sort of helped him remember his personal experiences growing up. Everyone needs to connect with their inner child every now and then, and the actor made it possible for all of us to do so.

What time is it? It’s puppy time! The Buzzfeed Celeb puppy interview has given us a plethora of adorable clips to look back on fondly. After all, there’s just nothing better than adults cooing at little dogs! And McGregor’s turn with the pups is no exception. The actor has had a few cute moments with dogs in the past, but this time, he’s absolutely bombarded with them. He immediately slips into a high-pitched voice, his words basically unintelligible while he cuddles with and coos at the adorable puppies. It’s incredibly pure and endearing, and there’s nothing else we’d rather watch.

One thing you may not know about Ewan McGregor is that he’s got a pretty successful travel show. It’s given us a lot of great moments – from his incredible travels on motorbike across the world, to getting adorably excited over sea otters. But there’s one sincere instance that takes the cake. In “Long Way Up,” the third installment of the series, McGregor talks about the decision to adopt his daughter, Jamyan. He first met her at a shelter in Mongolia during the filming of “Long Way Round” in 2004. But he and his co-star Charley Boorman nearly left the country beforehand, which would’ve altered the course of events. The way he talks about the experience is incredibly moving, so we’ll let him tell it.

Let’s face it – the “Star Wars” prequels can be somewhat polarizing. But we bet the vast majority of people can agree on the fact that Ewan McGregor does a phenomenal job. Taking up the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi after literal legend Alec Guinness played him in the original trilogy couldn’t have been an easy feat. But McGregor does it with a grace and gravitas that’s hard not to admire. He gives us some of the trilogy’s best moments – including, of course, one particularly unforgettable line. He makes the character his own while still honoring the original, and it’s amazing to witness.

Now when we say any, we mean ANY. For someone whose voice we simply adore, Ewan McGregor doesn’t sing as often as we’d like him to. So we’re going to be focusing on his extraordinary work in “Moulin Rouge!” As Christian, a writer who forms a relationship with Nicole Kidman’s Satine, McGregor rocks it – especially the singing. He takes Elton John’s classic “Your Song” and makes it his own, and he’s the epitome of sexy angst in “El Tango de Roxanne”. Plus, no one else could have made us fall in love with them quite as fast as he does in “Elephant Love Medley.” Seriously, whenever he hits those high notes, it's an immediate swoon!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Christian & Satine Reunited
“Moulin Rouge!” Was a Special Time for Everyone Involved

“Spill Your Guts or Fill Your Guts” with James Corden
McGregor the Adventurous Eater

Expedia “Stuff” Commercial
McGregor Makes This Incredibly Smooth

In the “Star Wars'' universe, Anakin Skywalker (aka Darth Vader) and Obi-Wan have a complicated relationship. What starts out as loyalty between a mentor and a mentee devolves into distrust and sadness. But lucky for us, in real life things couldn’t be more different. McGregor and Hayden Christensen only ever have wonderful things to say about each other in interviews, and seem to have a really wonderful friendship. They might not get to see each other much – and when they do it’s often for promo stuff like this hilarious “Agree to Disagree” episode. But thanks to the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” miniseries, the actors got to reconnect. McGregor and Christensen seem to treasure their “special bond,” and so do we.