Kumail Nanjiani Opens Up About His Experience On The Obi-Wan Kenobi Series
"Obi-Wan Kenobi" is perhaps the most highly-anticipated Disney+ show in the works right now. With Ewan McGregor reprising his role as the titular jedi, the show will follow Obi-Wan in the aftermath of Palpatine's successful move to seize control of the Republic and turn it into the fearsome Galatic Empire. Kumail Nanjiani, who also stars in the upcoming Marvel film "Eternals," is playing an unknown but "substantial" role in the series, much to the delight of anyone who has previously seen the charismatic actor in action.
Nanjiani has carved a unique path through Hollywood. Starting out as a stand-up comic, he made waves when he landed his iconic role as Dinesh, a timid, perpetually frustrated geek, in the Mike Judge-produced tech culture satire, "Silicon Valley." After further proving his acting chops in the moving 2017 rom-com, "The Big Sick," Nanjiani was hired by Marvel to play the role of Kingo in "Eternals" (a role for which he got famously shredded) and subsequently received an offer to join the "Star Wars" universe.
Now, in a brand-new interview, Nanjiani has opened up about his exciting Obi-Wan role, including how he got the gig, what it's like to work with Ewan McGregor, and how the experience of joining the "Star Wars" franchise compared to his experience working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Kumail Nanjiani was surprised he got offered a role in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series
Speaking to Rolling Stone, Kumail Nanjiani said he was initially blindsided by the phone call he got about his "Obi-Wan" role. "My agents called me and it was the whole group of them that never call you. And I was like, 'OK, this is either amazing news or really awful news.'" The call turned out to be the former, as Nanjiani was given the chance to play a "substantial" role in the "Star Wars" series. The actor went on to note that he's pretty sure his "Obi-Wan" character will be a hit with fans, saying, "We haven't seen this exact thing in 'Star Wars' yet. This is like a new version of a type of 'Star Wars' character we've seen before."
Speaking of characters we've seen before, Nanjiani opened up about working alongside the legendary Ewan McGregor. Although the "Silicon Valley" actor admits he was initially "a little bit intimidated" by the "Star Wars" actor, he says McGregor is quite nice in person. "We got to know each other a little bit, just hanging out and talking. Then there was this weird moment where I'm talking to Ewan and they yell, 'Action.'" Nanjiani noted that the difference between McGregor and Obi-Wan is an apparent and stark one, saying, "I was like, 'Oh, I'm talking to Obi-Wan right now. This is not Ewan McGregor. This is Obi-Wan."
Of course, "Obi-Wan" isn't the only major upcoming, Disney-owned project that stars Nanjiani. Marvel's "Eternals," which sees Nanjiani taking on the role of Kingo, opens in theaters on November 5. Comparing the two, Nanjiani says he didn't think the experience of working on a Marvel movie could be topped until he got to the set of the "Star Wars" show, admitting, "I didn't know how I could beat the experience I've had."
In other words, it sounds like "Star Wars" fans now have even more reasons to look forward to "Obi-Wan Kenobi."