Editing Darth Vader (section)

=== Anakin Skywalker ===
Near the end of ''Return of the Jedi'', Luke removes Vader's mask. Although Prowse had portrayed the Sith Lord throughout the trilogy, the filmmakers wanted a more experienced actor to play the unmasked Vader.{{Sfn|Rinzler|2013|pp=582, 628}} [[Sebastian Shaw (actor)|Sebastian Shaw]] was selected for the role, which appears as "Anakin Skywalker" in the credits.{{Sfn|Rinzler|2013|p=582}} Shaw's presence on set was kept secret from all but the minimum cast and crew, and Shaw was contractually obligated not to discuss any film secrets with anyone, even his family.{{Sfn|Rinzler|2013|p=634}}<ref name="Starlog">{{cite magazine |last=Pirani |first=Adam |date=July 1987 |title=Sebastian Shaw: The Return of Anakin Skywalker |magazine=[[Starlog]] |pages=56–57, 96 |volume=11 |issue=120}}</ref> In the final scene of the film, Shaw portrays Anakin's [[Force spirit]]. His likeness in this scene was replaced with that of Hayden Christensen in the 2004 DVD release.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Bryan |date=2023-10-04 |title=Ahsoka Made George Lucas's Most Controversial Star Wars Change Pay Off |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/1411894/ahsoka-anakin-skywalker-force-ghost-hayden-christensen-star-wars-return-of-the-jedi-special-edition/ |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=SlashFilm |language=en-US |archive-date=May 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240519190055/https://www.slashfilm.com/1411894/ahsoka-anakin-skywalker-force-ghost-hayden-christensen-star-wars-return-of-the-jedi-special-edition/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

When ''The Phantom Menace'' was being developed, hundreds of actors were auditioned for the role of young Anakin before [[Jake Lloyd]] was cast.<ref name="ProductionNotes">{{cite web |date=May 1, 1999 |title=Star Wars Episode I Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part I |url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023458/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp4.html |archive-date=October 23, 2004 |access-date=November 9, 2016 |website=StarWars.com}}</ref> [[Rick McCallum]], the film's producer, said that Lloyd was "smart, mischievous and love[d] anything mechanical{{mdash}}just like Anakin."<ref name="NotesII">{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp5.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041023023636/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19990501/indexp5.html|archive-date=October 23, 2004|date=May 1, 1999|title=Star Wars Episode I Production Notes: The Actors and Characters – Part II|website=StarWars.com|access-date=April 5, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19991102/index.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102150746/http://www.starwars.com/episode-i/bts/production/f19991102/index.html|title=The Man (Literally) Behind C-3PO|date=November 2, 1999|website=StarWars.com|access-date=November 11, 2016|archive-date=November 2, 2007}}</ref> When casting the role of 19-year-old Anakin for ''Attack of the Clones'', the filmmakers reviewed about 1,500 candidates before selecting Hayden Christensen.<ref>{{cite web |title=Robin Gurland – Don't Call Her; She'll Call You |url=https://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/bts/profile/f20020128/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628202200/http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/bts/profile/f20020128/index.html |archive-date=June 28, 2011 |access-date=November 11, 2016 |work=[[StarWars.com]]}}</ref> The Canadian actor reprises the role in ''Revenge of the Sith'' and in the series ''Obi-Wan Kenobi'' and ''Ahsoka''. His performance in ''Revenge of the Sith'' garnered him a nomination for the [[Saturn Award for Best Actor]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Campea |first=John |date=2006-02-17 |title=The 2006 Saturn Awards Nominations |url=https://www.themovieblog.com/2006/02/the-2006-saturn-awards-nominations/ |access-date=2025-04-03 |website=The Movie Blog |language=en-US}}</ref> while his portrayal of Anakin in ''Obi-Wan Kenobi'' earned him the Saturn Award for Best Guest Performance in a Streaming Series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Rourke |first=Ryan |date=2022-10-26 |title=Saturn Award Winners Headlined By 'Everything Everywhere All At Once,' 'Top Gun Maverick,' and 'Better Call Saul' |url=https://collider.com/saturn-award-winners-2022-better-call-saul-top-gun-maverick/ |access-date=2024-06-19 |website=Collider |language=en |archive-date=October 31, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031225344/https://collider.com/saturn-award-winners-2022-better-call-saul-top-gun-maverick/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Anakin is voiced by [[Mat Lucas]] and Frankie Ryan Manriquez in the 2003 animated micro-series ''[[Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003 TV series)|Clone Wars]]'', and is voiced by [[Kirby Morrow]] in several television productions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003 TV Show) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Star-Wars-Clone-Wars/ |access-date=May 8, 2024 |website=Behind the Voice Actors |archive-date=May 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240510081942/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Star-Wars-Clone-Wars/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Kirby Morrow (visual voices guide) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Kirby-Morrow/ |access-date=May 19, 2024 |website=Behind the Voice Actors |archive-date=November 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120071035/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Kirby-Morrow/ |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Matt Lanter]] provides the character's voice in video games and in various television productions, including ''[[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008 TV series)|The Clone Wars]]'', ''Rebels'', ''[[Star Wars Forces of Destiny|Forces of Destiny]]'' and ''[[Star Wars: Tales]].''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Matt Lanter (visual voices guide) |url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Matt-Lanter/ |access-date=May 18, 2024 |website=Behind the Voice Actors |archive-date=May 15, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240515130631/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Matt-Lanter/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Lanter also voices Anakin in the [[Star Wars: The Clone Wars (film)|film version]] of ''The Clone Wars''. During the second-season finale of ''Rebels'', Lanter's voice is sometimes blended with the voice of James Earl Jones.<ref>{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS4sclln5J4 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160731151616/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS4sclln5J4 |archive-date=July 31, 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |title=Ahsoka's Untold Tales Panel |author=Star Wars Celebration Europe 2016 |date=2016-07-15 |website=YouTube |time=59m25s |access-date=July 16, 2016 }}</ref>