PIZZA KING
Actor trumpets cooking skills on (and off) screen
The Force is strong with Hayden Christensen — especially in the kitchen.
So he didn’t have to fake it too much when he agreed to sign on opposite Emma Roberts in the romantic comedy Little Italy.
“I was cooking long before this movie,” the Vancouver-born actor says. “I did go for some training just to freshen up my skills, but I have a pizza oven in my kitchen and I make a mean pizza.”
In the film, Christensen, who grew up north of Toronto and owns a farm in Uxbridge, Ont., and Roberts play star-crossed lovers who become reacquainted after years apart working in their families’ competing pizzerias in Toronto’s Little Italy neighbourhood. Co-stars include Jane Seymour, Alyssa Milano, Andrea Martin and Danny Aiello.
For Christensen, who rose to fame playing Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: Episode II and III, it was a departure from the gritty, action-oriented roles he’s starred in over the past decade.
“It’s a good time for rom-coms,” he says. “It’s not a genre I typically look at because I’m more inclined to the more dramatic stuff, but my agent told me to give it a read and I fell in love with it. There’s a lot of positive themes and messages that are delivered in a fun and engaging way.”
Little Italy is a love story that unfolds in some of Toronto’s most beloved locations. But is it also a love letter to the city?
I think so. I was just very proud to be making a film in Toronto that was set in Toronto and really embracing the locations. I shot Jumper here, but it was doubling for another city. The fact that this was set here was definitely meaningful to me. I’m a proud Canadian and I love Toronto and I thought it was about time. I also feel the global perception has gone up so much. I think people are aware that this is one of the world’s greatest cities. Now you can tell a story and set it here and people aren’t going to have a problem with that.
In the movie, your character sports a Blue Jays jean jacket. I know you threw out the first pitch this week when the team played the Orioles. But who do you root for in real life?
I’m a massive Maple Leafs fan. I grew up playing hockey, so hockey’s my first love. But I’m a fan of all things Toronto, so Jays, Raptors, Leafs, Toronto FC … I support them all. I still have that Blue Jays jacket and I wear it out and about.
What are your favourite pizza toppings?
I’m a purist and I just like plain Margherita pizza. But if I do put toppings, I like pineapple, prosciutto and jalapenos.
You were part of the Star Wars universe playing Anakin Skywalker in two films. Looking back on that, what does that mean to you?
It’s hard to put into words. It was beyond my wildest dreams. I was acting in high school plays the year before and then I was on set with George Lucas and making film history. It was remarkable.
The films have taken on a new life now. Would you ever want to come back to the Star Wars series?
Absolutely. I would go back in a heartbeat if it made sense. I kind of feel that (Anakin Skywalker’s) storyline was fully told, but you never know. They’re going to be making a lot of these movies and you never know.
Why is Little Italy the perfect date-night movie?
You’ll walk out feeling uplifted. This is a story about a love that has no boundaries and it’s not defined by age or colour or gender. If you’re 20 years old going on a date or you’re 60 years old going on a date, I think there’s something in the story that will resonate with you.