He’s more accustomed to presiding over Jedi knights than a gaggle of caber tossers. But Star Wars actor Ewan McGregor seemed to have no problems stepping into a new role as chief of the Highland Games in his home town of Crieff in Perthshire.
Wearing a kilt in the family tartan and a waxed jacket against the rain, the Scottish actor, who plays the young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the space saga, was accompanied at the games by his heavily pregnant French wife Eve, their five-year-old daughter Clara and his parents Carol and James. The couple are expecting their second child, a boy, in October.
“It’s lovely to be back and I never imagined I would one day be the chieftain,” said Ewan, who went on to admit: “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. My brother Colin and I used to spend a week getting in my dad’s way when he was trying to set the games up.”
While he might be a light saber whiz on screen, the Jedi master had no intention of demonstrating his highland sports skills, however. “I couldn’t even lift the caber, never mind toss it. The ‘heavies’ make it look easy,” he said referring to the traditional event of throwing a 150lb telephone-pole shaped log. Nor was the crowd in for a display of traditional hammer throwing. “I would throw a hammer into the crowd and it would not be pleasant.”
If muscle flexing of storm trooper dimensions wasn’t on the cards, verbal activity was. “This is where I learned to swear,” explained Ewan. “I like to swear a lot. There’s a fantastic character here who uses words the likes of which you’ve never heard. I still see him here and I’ve never forgotten those words I picked up as a wee boy. I’ve been using them ever since.”
During the games, the actor, who shot to fame as Renton in the film Trainspotting, signed autographs, awarded prizes and posed with games contestants. “It is lovely to have him at home and for all the family to be here as well is nice,” said proud mum Carol.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
