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Some of you may or may not know that Casting Director for Star Wars EPII Robin Gurland said that the final decision was a difficult one, because all four candidates were so talented. Who was the other 3?

Dmax, i can give you two of the names, but i'm not sure who the third is:
Ryan Phillipe, (Cruel Intentions) He was too old and he was a bit hacked off when he saw Hayden Christenson's photograph, claiming that was how he looked in his highschool yearbook.
Paul Cattermole, (Pop star) Currently a singer with the group S Club 7, a UK band.

I could be mistaken but I believe that the other was Colin Hanks(Tom's son) and co-star on the tv show "Roswell" I would have like Ryan Phillipe, but he's too small. Anakin is supposed to be big guy, Phillipe just isn't big enough.

None of the guys from S Club 7 were at the at audition, this was confirmed when they appeared on the Jo Whiley show.

I think the three guys were Ryan Phillpe, Colin Hanks, and Jeff Garner.

That S Club freak was never even considered. Why would he be? He can't act and looks nothing like the other two Anakins.
The other names I heard were Mark Blucas who plays Riley in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and a Hungarian/Australian actor called Rel Hunt.

I watched a movie called the "Virgin Suicides" last night, some of you may or may not know but it has Hayden Christianson in it. He only plays a minor role, I didn't even recognize him at first, but its him. He looks smaller than I thought. Oh well, couldn't really learn anything about him from it, but it was kinda cool seeing him in a movie.

I think Marc Blucas wouldn't appear youthful enough. In buffy he portrayts a 20something and I didn't find him believevable as a student, just as army guy

My other pic would have been Phillipe, but I agree that he seems a little too old for the part. I'd like to see him in SW anyway.

Hayden has recently been seen in the TV series 'Higher Ground', in which he played a troubled teenager into drugs and whatnot,he was one of the main players on the show and from what i saw, i think that GL has made a superb choice, the kid can really act! I can think of no one better to bring Anakin's fall from grace to reality after witnessing his performance in this show.

I've been watching that too and I agree. He is the perfect choice.