Editing Obi-Wan Kenobi (section)

== Portrayal ==
When casting ''Star Wars'', Lucas sought an established star for the role of Obi-Wan. He considered Peter Cushing for the part, but decided the actor's lean features would be better employed as the villainous [[Grand Moff Tarkin]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Sietz |first=Dan |date=April 18, 2013 |title='Peter Cushing: A Life In Film' Is A Genre Geek's Dream |url=http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2013/04/peter-cushing-a-life-in-film-is-a-genre-geeks-dream/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512220648/http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/2013/04/peter-cushing-a-life-in-film-is-a-genre-geeks-dream/ |archive-date=May 12, 2014 |access-date=May 9, 2014 |website=[[Jarret Myer#Uproxx|Uproxx]]}}</ref> The film's producer, [[Gary Kurtz]], felt a strong [[character actor]] was required to convey the "stability and gravitas" of Obi-Wan.<ref name=":3">{{Cite AV media |title=[[Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy]] |type=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox Home Entertainment |year=2004}}</ref> Before Guinness was cast, the Japanese actor [[Toshiro Mifune]]—who plays Makabe Rokurōta in ''The Hidden Fortress''—was considered for the role.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Russo |first=Tom |title=The Force Wasn't With Them |url=http://www.premiere.com/article.asp?section_id=6&article_id=2164 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060508222750/http://www.premiere.com/article.asp?section_id=6&article_id=2164 |archive-date=May 8, 2006 |access-date=May 23, 2024 |website=Premiere}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Enk |first=Bryan |date=January 14, 2013 |title='Seven Samurai' star Toshiro Mifune: The would-be face of Darth Vader? |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/seven-samurai-star-toshiro-mifune-face-darth-vader-202128282.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714233346/https://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/seven-samurai-star-toshiro-mifune-face-darth-vader-202128282.html |archive-date=July 14, 2014 |access-date=December 24, 2015 |website=[[Yahoo.com]]}}</ref> Mifune's daughter, Mika Kitagawa, said her father "had a lot of samurai pride" and turned down the roles of both Obi-Wan and Darth Vader because he thought ''Star Wars'' would employ cheap special effects and would therefore "cheapen the image of samurai".<ref>{{cite news |last=Lee |first=Benjamin |date=December 4, 2015 |title=Toshiro Mifune turned down Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Vader roles |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/04/toshiro-mifune-star-wars-turned-down-obi-wan-kenobi-and-darth-vader-roles |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151206013016/http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/04/toshiro-mifune-star-wars-turned-down-obi-wan-kenobi-and-darth-vader-roles |archive-date=December 6, 2015 |access-date=December 6, 2015 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref> Once Guinness was selected and production was underway, Lucas credited the English actor with inspiring the cast and crew to work harder, which contributed significantly to the completion of filming.{{Sfn|Guinness|1986|p=214}} [[Harrison Ford]], who plays [[Han Solo]] in the film, said he admired Guinness's preparation, professionalism and kindness towards the other actors.<ref name=":3" />

Ewan McGregor portrays Obi-Wan in the prequel trilogy and in the 2022 miniseries ''Obi-Wan Kenobi.'' His performance in the first prequel film, ''The Phantom Menace'' (1999), earned him a Saturn Award nomination for [[Saturn Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]].{{Citation needed|date=June 2024}}