Ewan McGregor Says Years of Lying About Reprising Star Wars Role Was Embarrassing

Ewan McGregor noted the difference between acting and lying when it came to his years of fibbing about reprising his Star Wars role as Obi-Wan Kenobi. You get paid to act, the actor quipped during his appearance on Ellen on Tuesday, adding that he was embarrassed about having to lie when asked about it.

Guest host Howie Mandel pointed out that McGregor was simply acting even when he wasnt acting. But McGregor called it what it was: Lying.

Its awkward because the studios and the franchises, they want to keep everything totally secret, of course, which I understand, McGregor explained. But as the person being asked over and over and over again, Are you? Would you do it again, would you do it again? And Im already talking to them about it, but I cant say that I am. So like for four years I was saying, Well, Id be happy to do it again if they Im just waiting for the call It was embarrassing.

Later, Mandel and McGregor played a game in tribute to the actors role in Doctor Sleep, which opens in theaters on November 8th. In the film based on Stephen Kings 2013 novel of the same name, which is the sequel to The Shining, McGregor portrays an adult Danny Torrance who continues to be haunted by what took place at the Overlook Hotel. The pair played a game called Horton Hears Someone in the Attic, where they guessed whether book titles are from Stephen King or a childrens book, and it wasnt as easy as it sounds.