30 iconic Star Wars roles that almost went to different actors

5. Obi-Wan Kenobi (Hugh Jackman)

As you might imagine, George Lucas went through a lengthy audition process to find the right person to portray the younger version of Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan Kenobi before he settled upon Ewan McGregor. Production for The Phantom Menace began in June of 1997, so all one has to do is think back to all of the popular actors in the early 2000s to picture who may have been considered for the role.

Did Hugh Jackman pop into your mind? Well, if he did, then you would have guessed one of the many men who auditioned for the role. Back then, the young Australian actor was mostly known for his work on the stage and a few small projects in Australia. While information is scarce about Jackman’s consideration for the role, he frequently appears in the list of celebrities that were considered for the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

If you find yourself suddenly pining for an alternate reality where Jackman was mentoring Anakin Skywalker instead of Ewan McGregor, consider this. We would be living in an alternate universe where Hugh Jackman never played Logan in the X-Men films. The actor’s breakout role came in 2000 when he was cast as the mutant superhero.