--- title: "Ewan McGregor: From Mark Renton to Obi-Wan Kenobi — The Star Wars Star's Career Journey" description: "Ewan McGregor's journey from a Scottish teenager to a global star: from Mark Renton in Trainspotting to Obi-Wan Kenobi. We explore his career evolution and what he is doing in 2026." date: 2026-11-09T14:57:20.812Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/ewan-mcgregor-career-obi-wan-kenobi tags: [ewan-mcgregor, star-wars, obi-wan-kenobi, trainspotting, fargo, halston] author: "Marina Slivenko" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Ewan McGregor: From Mark Renton to Obi-Wan Kenobi — The Star Wars Star's Career Journey ![Ewan McGregor in two appearances sitting against a background of nature and mountains.](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/09/yuen-makgregor-karera-obi-van-kenobi/yuen-makgregor-karera-obi-van-kenobi-1.webp) ## Key Points - Ewan McGregor was born on March 31, 1971, in Perth, Scotland, studied at Guildhall, and had his breakout role as Mark Renton in Trainspotting (1996). - Playing Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels (1999–2005) brought him global recognition. - The actor showcased remarkable versatility: Moulin Rouge!, Big Fish, Fargo (Golden Globe Award, 2018), Halston (2021). - In 2022, he returned to Kenobi in the eponymous series; questions about a second season remain open. Ewan McGregor was born on March 31, 1971, in the Scottish town of Perth, and spent his childhood in the small town of Crieff. His parents worked as teachers, but from an early age, the young man was drawn to film and theater. His career choice was heavily influenced by his uncle, actor Denis Lawson, who later gained widespread fame for playing pilot Wedge Antilles in the original Star Wars trilogy. At 16, McGregor left school and began working backstage at the Perth theatre: first helping with sets and stage tasks, and later taking on small roles. According to his own recollections shared in an interview with the Roundabout Theatre Company in September 2014, after working in the theater he completed a one-year theater arts course in Kirkcaldy, and then studied at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama. ### The Breakthrough: From Shallow Grave to Trainspotting McGregor got his first notable television role in the series Lipstick on Your Collar in 1993. In 1994, he starred in director Danny Boyle's thriller Shallow Grave, but his true breakthrough came two years later. In 1996, Trainspotting was released, in which McGregor played Mark Renton, a young man trying to cope with drug addiction. For the role, the actor radically changed his appearance: he lost a lot of weight and got a short haircut. His character became one of the most famous figures in 1990s British cinema, and after the film's success, the young Scot became a talking point far beyond the UK. ### Obi-Wan Kenobi: The Role That Changed Everything In 1999, McGregor first appeared as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. He was cast as the younger version of the character played by Alec Guinness in the original trilogy; the actor was 26 years old at the time of filming. As noted by the official website StarWars.com, McGregor had loved Star Wars since childhood and re-watched the original trilogy films with his brother. In The Phantom Menace, he appeared with short hair and no beard — a young apprentice learning the ways of the Jedi under Qui-Gon Jinn. In Attack of the Clones (2002), the character already had a beard and long hair, and in Revenge of the Sith (2005), the look came even closer to the classic Obi-Wan. Throughout the trilogy, the character journeyed from an apprentice to an experienced Jedi Master and mentor to Anakin Skywalker, and the role brought McGregor global recognition. ### The Actor's Versatility: From Moulin Rouge! to Fargo Parallel to the prequels, McGregor proved capable of transforming into entirely different characters. In 2001, he played young writer Christian in the musical drama Moulin Rouge! alongside Nicole Kidman, and in 2003, young Edward Bloom in Tim Burton's fantasy drama Big Fish. After finishing Revenge of the Sith, he did not leave the industry: notable works include Angels & Demons (2009), The Ghost Writer (2010), The Impossible (2012), and Doctor Sleep (2019). In 2017, McGregor returned to Mark Renton in T2 Trainspotting, released 21 years after the first installment, and that same year played twin brothers Ray and Emmit Stussy in the third season of the anthology series Fargo. This work earned him a Golden Globe Award in 2018, as confirmed by the film awards' official website. An important milestone came in 2021 when the Netflix miniseries Halston was released: McGregor transformed into American fashion designer Halston, changing his hairstyle, mannerisms, and overall style. ### Return to Kenobi and Status in 2026 In 2022, McGregor returned to the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in the eponymous series, which bridged the gap between the prequels and the original trilogy and followed the Jedi's mission to rescue young Princess Leia. Discussions around a continuation of the project are still ongoing: according to insider Jeff Sneider, a second season is not planned, whereas McGregor himself has said in interviews that Disney is actively discussing a continuation and shared his ideas for it. Regardless of how this issue resolves, by 2026, when the actor turned 55, his career remains one of the most diverse in British cinema: from a Scottish teenager working backstage at a theater to a star whose portrayal of Obi-Wan Kenobi has become part of pop culture for multiple generations of viewers. ## Accounts differ ### Second season of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series - **Insider Jeff Sneider:** A second season of the series is not planned; Lucasfilm positioned the show as a limited series from the start. ([playground.ru](https://www.playground.ru/misc/news/po_sluham_serial_obi_van_kenobi_zakryt_vtorogo_sezona_ne_budet-1780603)) - **Ewan McGregor (in interviews):** Disney is actively discussing a second season of the series, and the actor has ideas for it. ([championat.com](https://www.championat.com/cybersport/news-5736280-v-disney-tschatelno-obdumyvayut-vtoroj-sezon-seriala-obi-van-kenobi.html)) *Where they agree:* The Obi-Wan Kenobi series starring Ewan McGregor was released in 2022 and bridged the gap between the prequels and the original trilogy. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Оби-Ван Кеноби тогда и сейчас: как изменился Юэн Макгрегор после "Звездных войн"](https://styler.rbc.ua/ukr/trends/obi-van-kenobi-todi-y-zaraz-k-zminivsya-yuen-1794217887.html) - Primary source: biography, filmography, awards, role details — basis of the article. - [Юэн Макгрегор рассказал о том, каково это - снова играть Оби-Ван Кеноби](https://www.playground.ru/misc/news/yuen_makgregor_rasskazal_o_tom_kakovo_eto_snova_igrat_obi_van_kenobi-1178042) - Confirms that the actor returned to the role of Obi-Wan and commented on it in interviews. - [По слухам, сериал "Оби-Ван Кеноби" закрыт - второго сезона не будет](https://www.playground.ru/misc/news/po_sluham_serial_obi_van_kenobi_zakryt_vtorogo_sezona_ne_budet-1780603) - Insider Jeff Sneider's statement regarding the lack of a second season; contradicts source 4. - [Фанаты в восторге от идей Юэна Макгрегора на второй сезон сериала «Оби-Ван Кеноби»](https://www.championat.com/cybersport/news-5736280-v-disney-tschatelno-obdumyvayut-vtoroj-sezon-seriala-obi-van-kenobi.html) - According to McGregor, Disney is discussing a second season; contradicts source 3. ## FAQ ### Where and when was Ewan McGregor born? On March 31, 1971, in the Scottish town of Perth; he spent his childhood in Crieff. ### Which role brought him his first major success? The role of Mark Renton in the film Trainspotting (1996). ### In which Star Wars films did he play Obi-Wan Kenobi? In the prequels: The Phantom Menace (1999), Attack of the Clones (2002), and Revenge of the Sith (2005), as well as the series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). ### What did he win a Golden Globe Award for? For playing twin brothers Emmit and Ray Stussy in the third season of Fargo (award presented in 2018). ### Will there be a second season of the Obi-Wan Kenobi series? The question remains open: insider Jeff Sneider reported that a second season is not planned, while McGregor himself mentioned active discussions about a continuation at Disney.