“Hello there,” New York. Kenobi star Ewan McGregor would have a lot to talk about with his starring role in the Star Wars canon or any other feature film, but he can’t, not when the actors union SAG-AFTRA is still fighting for a fair contract.
The man who reprised his role as a strung out, on the lam Obi-Wan arrived at his first ever New York Comic Con during an interesting time for the industry. Because of the ongoing actors strike, this year’s big nerd fest is devoid of many of the Hollywood heavy hitters that usually have a major presence, in particular Marvel. Those few stars who have decided to show up this weekend aren’t able to talk about much, or really anything that has to do with acting, at least only in the abstract.
On stage, the charismatic Scotsman had to find something else—anything else—to talk about. The first few questions he gets are about the proper way to brew tea (three minutes, no more, no less, a splash of milk, no sugar). Then the topic comes back to the Big Apple, and it lands on his very few favorite local meals. In that vein, McGregor can’t seem to pinpoint his favorite bagel. It’s not like he hasn’t had the chance to try one. He has spent a fair amount of in New York as he performed in the Broadway circuit. He asks the audience, and a good few shout back the classic staple everything bagel.
“It just seems like something you get when they can’t make up your mind it,” he said. There’s a few laughs in the crowd and a few narrowed eyes. Of course he’s wrong—you can disagree whether everything is the epitome of NY-style bagel, but that old joke about New Yorker’s favorite carb-laden breakfast food just doesn’t examine the transformative flavor of a quality, chewy on the inside, crispy on the outside bagel.
The questions scraped the bottom of the barrel for what can be said to a packed-to-the-gills crowd of hopeful Star Wars fans. There was talk about music, motorcycles, and Shakesperean acting. It also flowed around his work with charities, including his work as an ambassador for UNICEF.
After over 40 minutes of a pleasant chat with no bare mention of his streaming Star Wars stardom, however, McGregor did finally get to say his piece about the ongoing strikes.
“The strike is very important, and it’s important that we’re taking this action,” McGregor said to hollers and applause. “There’s so many things that have to be addressed that have been unaddressed for too long. It’s a shame that it’s taking the studios this length of time to come to some sort of resolution with us. As a result I’m 100% behind the strike involved with my union.”
“It’s difficult for us to be up here and not talk about our actual films,” he said. “I apologize for that, but that’s just the way we have to do it, I suppose. But it was important to see you all and meet you all. This relationship, the people we make the films for, and the people who make them.”
McGregor’s life during the strike is very “domestic,” he said. It involves time for reading and taking his children to school. Though he couldn’t escape any mention of Star Wars at all. When the conversation landed on the topic of beards, one fan offered the Kenobi star some massaging beard oil. Another tried to hand McGregor a Star Wars themed trimmer. The strikes may be ongoing, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take care of your facial hair in the meantime.
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