Actor Hayden Christensen says that celebrities have control over how often they are seen in the public eye. Speaking about fame, the Canadian says: "I think that people's exposure is in your realm of control.
"It's largely just a function of your choices, and if you don't want to be seen, they don't see you.
"Sure, fame has its affectation, but you can still lead the life you want to lead."
The 26-year-old's comments come as some politicians in Hollywood are calling to rein the paparazzi in. They are particularly homing in on the pack of photographers that follow Britney Spears, which they believe is becoming a risk to public safety.
But Hayden, whose face was instantly recognisable when he played Anakin Skywalker in two Star Wars movies, is philosophical about fame. "When it happened, for a while I wouldn't leave the house," says the actor whose image was used in posters and made into action figures.
"I mean since my face was in every convenience store, that meant everyone would recognise me and that's really odd.
"So I just sort or hermitized [sic]."
It's a typical reaction for a man who has been acting since he was seven but denied it to friends even though he regularly made TV appearances. "I did a few commercials," he says in an interview with the LA Times.
"Growing up it was a means to get a day off of school, and more money than you could earn with a paper route, but at the same time I profusely denied it
"Yeah, like if someone said they had seen me in a commercial, I'd say: 'What are you talking about? That wasn't me'.
"I was playing competitive hockey and the kids I was hanging out with weren't really the theater crowd."
In his new movie, Jumper, Christensen plays a man who teleports himself around the world. It's a far cry from his roles in Shattered Glass and even Stars Wars Episodes II and III, in which he has been known to get emotional, even teary-eyed.
That's after Christensen's characters - usually angry and misunderstood - go through a period of enlightenment.
He says: "There is an underlying theme.
"I like characters that have an interesting growth, when there's change, and they're affected by the elements of the story.
"I've always believed that conflict is the essence of drama."
Christensen says that there is another difference between the way he has approached Jumper and the way he tackled the Star Wars films, for example.
He says: "Doug [Liman the director of Jumper] really wanted the actors' insight into the story, asking us to script meetings, which was a treat, you know, how collaborative he was.
"It was really satisfying."
However, the experience with George Lucas, creator and director of the Star Wars films, was far different.
Christensen says: "George came up to me on the set one day during my first Star Wars and said something that I never fully understood until after we were done filming.
"He said: 'As an actor, you have to think of yourself as a ditch digger'
"What he was implying was that on his movie I needed to think of myself as a ditch digger, because it wasn't the proper arena for actual creative expression.
"This was his thing. It was all very thought out in his head and I needed to show up to make his wants a reality.
"And so really, what he was saying to me was: 'Don't let this experience discourage you from what acting can really be about, because that's not what this is'.
"I just wish I would've figured that out a little sooner."
There is a thread that joins his experience on all of his movies together, according to Christensen - shoes.
The man who recently bought a farm in south Toronto says he is looking forward to moving his film memorabilia from his parents' home to his own. They include his Star Wars props such as his Jedi plait.
He says: "I did [keep my Star Wars stuff] - only because it was my first Star Wars, and I wanted to keep as much as I could.
"I got a light sabre, of course, and then I had to keep my boots. I keep all my characters' shoes, actually.
"Yeah, it's sort of the first bit of my character that I sort of decide on while I'm figuring them out.
"Because that's what grounds me and it informs how I walk and how I feel on my feet."
No word yet on whether or not he has kept his shoes from the filming of the period piece Virgin Territory. It was filmed in Florence last year with actress Mischa Barton but has yet to be given a release date.
He says: "You know about that one? Damn. I'm not sure what they're calling it now and it's hard to speak to, because I haven't seen the film in its current state and I haven't heard boo from the people who made it.
"That stuff always shocks me. How people can be so flippant with money.
"And that for me was a real departure. It's a comedy, you know, which I've never done."
By Marissa Charles, Feb 19 2008 © Copyright 2008 - Showbiz Spy
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