When he kicked off the Star Wars prequel trilogy with The Phantom Menace, in addition to a litany of other creative challenges, George Lucas had to cast each role just right. He needed to find a nine-year-old kid to play the slave boy who would become Darth Vader, a precocious young star to play a teenage monarch, and a comic actor to do the mo-cap for everyone’s favorite Gungan.
He also needed to find an up-and-coming actor who could play the younger incarnation of Obi-Wan Kenobi in a way that would satisfy fans of Alec Guinness’s take while bringing something new to the role, as well as Obi-Wan’s ill-fated master Qui-Gon Jinn. Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor ended up being perfect for their parts, but they weren’t the first choices.
Qui-Gon: Tom Hanks
By the end of the ‘90s, with back-to-back Oscar wins for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump and massive box office hits like Saving Private Ryan, Sleepless in Seattle, and A League of Their Own, Tom Hanks was one of the biggest movie stars in the world. So, it’s no surprise that George Lucas considered him for the role of Qui-Gon Jinn.
Hanks is one of the most frequent collaborators of Steven Spielberg, a close personal friend of Lucas’, so his consideration for the part may have come from a recommendation.
Obi-Wan: Hugh Jackman
A couple of years before he’d be given his true star-making role as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, Hugh Jackman was under consideration for the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels.
Jackman has been considered for a bunch of leading blockbuster roles over the years, including James Bond, Tony Stark, Mr. Fantastic, Jack Sparrow, Harvey Dent, and Robert Langdon.
Qui-Gon: Morgan Freeman
When George Lucas wrote the role of Qui-Gon Jinn, he didn’t necessarily want a Caucasian actor for the part. Early in the development process, he considered Morgan Freeman for the role.
Freeman is no stranger to playing wise mentor figures, having portrayed such roles in The Shawshank Redemption, Se7en, Million Dollar Baby, and the Almighty movies, in which he played the ultimate mentor, God.
Qui-Gon: Kurt Russell
Before Liam Neeson was cast as Qui-Gon Jinn, Kurt Russell was considered for the role. Russell has appeared in such iconic sci-fi classics as Escape from New York and The Thing.
Lucas previously had Russell on the casting shortlist for Han Solo in the original trilogy before Harrison Ford was given the role that would define his career.
Obi-Wan: Kenneth Branagh
Kenneth Branagh was one of the actors considered to play Obi-Wan. His history of performing Shakespeare would’ve meant he could bring a grandiosity to George Lucas’ self-proclaimed “corny” dialogue.
Although he’s had plenty of acting roles, Branagh is just as well-known for directing, having helmed Thor, Cinderella, and Murder on the Orient Express.
Qui-Gon: Denzel Washington
After quickly becoming a revered actor throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s with roles in Glory, Philadelphia, Malcolm X, and The Pelican Brief, Denzel Washington was considered for the role of Qui-Gon in The Phantom Menace.
Washington didn’t clinch the part and instead of spending the early 2000s starring in Star Wars movies, he spent it becoming a huge action star with movies like Training Day, for which he won an Oscar, and Man on Fire.
Qui-Gon: Kyle MacLachlan
George Lucas considered Dale Cooper himself, Kyle MacLachlan, for the role of Qui-Gon Jinn before choosing Liam Neeson for the part. MacLachlan is best known for his work with David Lynch, including Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet.
Lucas had previously offered Lynch the chance to direct Return of the Jedi, but he turned it down because he wouldn’t have full creative control and instead opted to helm Dune, which also starred MacLachlan.
Obi-Wan: Joseph Fiennes
Joseph Fiennes auditioned for the role of young Obi-Wan before Ewan McGregor was cast. However, when he went in for the audition, George Lucas’ daughter took one look at him and said, “I don’t like this guy. He’s weird.” And he didn’t get the part.
While Fiennes has never landed a role as huge as Kenobi, he has appeared in some high-profile movies, including Shakespeare in Love, Elizabeth, and Enemy at the Gates.
Qui-Gon: Vin Diesel
Between Saving Private Ryan introducing him to a wide audience and the Fast & Furious franchise making him one of the biggest stars in the world, Vin Diesel was considered for the role of Qui-Gon Jinn.
Diesel wasn’t as old as Liam Neeson, so he might not have been able to play Qui-Gon as the wise old Jedi he ended up being, but he could’ve been a good fit for the pulpy tone of the Star Wars universe.
Obi-Wan: Tim Roth
After Quentin Tarantino directed Tim Roth’s two most memorable performances, as Mr. Orange in Reservoir Dogs and Pumpkin in Pulp Fiction, the actor was considered for the role of Obi-Wan in The Phantom Menace.
Roth went on to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Abomination, the villain in The Incredible Hulk who’s set to return in the She-Hulk series in Disney+.