LIFE AT HIS 'HOUSE' OFFBEAT ROLES ASIDE, HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN LAYS THE GROUNDWORK FOR A SOLID CAREER.

Byline: Bob Strauss Film Writer

He's a nice kid.

No, really. He is.

But fresh-scrubbed, well-behaved Canadian Hayden Christensen isn't exactly being introduced to the wide world in the most-flattering light.

The 20-year-old actor greets us in his first major movie role - a surly, confused, Marilyn Manson wanna-be in the family drama ``Life as a House,'' opening Friday - by attempting auto-erotic asphyxiation on his mascara'd, chin-pierced self. We soon discover that the character is even more obnoxious than initial impressions suggested.

And when we become even more familiar with the tall, athletic and eminently unpierced Christensen next summer, he won't be doing his job unless he terribly disturbs us. Christensen has the coveted role of Anakin Skywalker, who evolves from noble Jedi Knight into symbol of all evil Darth Vader over the second and third installments of the ``Star Wars'' prequel trilogy. ``Episode II: Attack of the Clones,'' hits theaters in May.

``I saw about 100 actors for this role,'' says ``Life as a House'' director Irwin Winkler. ``I didn't know who Hayden was or what he had done, and he didn't tell me. After I cast him, I found out about 'Star Wars,' and it wasn't until recently that I had a conversation with George Lucas. We both asked each other why we cast him, and we both came up with the same reason: that there is a sense of toughness about him behind this very sweet guy. That's what George wanted for Anakin, obviously, and what I needed for Sam here.''

Necessity of invention

Sam is the deeply alienated son of a divorced California architect, George Monroe (Kevin Kline). His mother Robin (Kristin Scott Thomas) and stepfather can't do a thing with the rebellious boy, and George - who lives alone in a shack on a posh, Palos Verdes cul-de-sac - is too boggled by his own midlife crisis to do much in the way of parenting.

But when that old movie medical problem turns George's midlife into a few precious, remaining months, he determines to build a fine house on his land - and forces the extremely reluctant Sam to help him do it as a last-gasp bonding effort.

``Sam, for me, was a complete invention,'' Christensen says. ``Every sensibility that he has is so far removed from what I know about myself that it really took a lot to get my head around the concept of why he would put blue eye shadow on or why he would pierce his ears. It's just not anything I would do.

``So I talked to a lot of people who were suffering some of the same dilemmas that he was and opened my mind up to different things,'' adds Christensen who, after breaking into television commercials as a child, entered a performing-arts program at his Toronto high school and spent two summers studying at the demanding Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York. ``Not so much Goth kids, but kids who were using drugs as an escape mechanism or people who've had to deal with the loss of a family member.''

One of four children born to a couple that works in the communications field, Hayden played competitive hockey since the age of 7 and, later, tennis. His older sister Hejsa was a world champion trampolinist at the age of 13, and it was while accompanying her to an endorsement ad audition that Hayden was first asked to appear in commercials.

All of which added up to no time for teen-age rebellion in the adolescent's busy schedule.

``I have a good relationship with my parents and siblings, though of course we fight like any siblings do,'' says Christensen, who still calls home the bedroom he's lived in since age 6. ``But, I think, coming from where I came from and that I did have such high family values, playing the opposite of that coin was made easier. It's always easier to play something that you're not, I think.''

A methodical performance

Not that the job was easy. Sam starts off, at least, at a pretty high pitch - his whole existence seems to be one continuous tantrum. This proved technically difficult at times. The character's chin stud, for instance, was held in place by a magnet between Christensen's lower gum and lips, and particularly passionate exchanges were often ruined when the jewelry would fly off in the middle of a take. And one effective bit of improv, in which Christensen unexpectedly slammed his fist into a wall when Sam learns the truth about his father's health, resulted in a hairline finger fracture.

``And they didn't even use that take!'' Christensen complains, with a grin. ``I turned around and I was crying, my hand was bleeding real blood ... It was great!''

Christensen's main concern, however, was whether he was judging the degree of Sam's floridness correctly at any given moment.

``The biggest challenge was trying to stay confident that I was making the right choices,'' he says. ``It felt, at times, that I was playing this cartoonish character. When I'd look at myself in the mirror and the way I was acting ... It was a very dramatic character. At times it felt like maybe I was taking it too far. But I trusted the people I was working with an immense amount; especially Kevin, and I figured that if I was doing something completely ridiculous, he would have told me.''

While Lucas might have hired Christensen for the same basic qualities that Winkler wanted, the trick to playing Anakin was almost exactly the opposite of creating Sam.

Confronting Vader

``There's an immense challenge to doing something that has already been predefined by another film or someone else who has played the part,'' Christensen notes. ``I wasn't walking into a part which I could openly explore. I couldn't just do what I wanted to; the lines within which I had to create were very defined. But that made it interesting, really. I knew there was an audience that I'd have to please and bring certain sensibilities to the character. At times, that can be added pressure and, at times, it made it that much more exciting.''

Although most of ``Episode II'' was shot before Christensen made ``Life as a House,'' he and other cast members - including Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman (whom, no, Christensen says he's not dating, despite fan gossip to the effect that they're involved) - are still on call for additional shooting for the all-digital production.

And we do mean all-digital. Though Christensen spent three months on location in Australia for ``Episode II'' - one learning light-sabre choreography before two spent shooting - he says that only about 10 percent of the soundstage work on the film involved practical sets. The rest was played out against blank blue screens where computer graphics environments are now being digitally painted.

``It's hard to feel comfortable just working against nothing,'' the actor admits. ``But it's not too dissimilar from stage work, for example, because you have to use your imagination for that, too. It was slightly pressuring at times, but it could be even more reward when you get to see the film, to finally see these amazing environments you've been told you were in.''

Effects of stardom

Without giving too much of the top-secret project away, Christensen proudly affirms that he performed all of his own ``Episode II'' action stunts, including a good amount of ``Crouching Tiger''-style wire work.

``Every Anakin you see is always me, never a double,'' he says proudly, then qualifies. ``Although it could be a digital me; you never know when they do that.''

As soon as ``Episode II'' is released, work begins on the next ``Star Wars'' chapter. But while Christensen signed on for what he acknowledges is a pretty grueling haul, he notes that Lucasfilm is extremely accommodating about arranging schedules around actors' other projects. As for being part of a legend that will surely affect his existence in many ways, the young actor has already had to make a few changes in his life and is prepared for bigger ones to come.

``It hasn't become an intrusion on my personal life yet,'' he says. ``I can still ride the subway and not be bothered, which is cool. My circle of friends has become smaller and more defined, though, but that was to be expected after the big announcement was made. But other than that, it's still the same.''

And there's already been one invaluable benefit from hooking up with the most successful movie franchise in history.

``It's enabled me to be very choosy with my work, the films I want to commit to,'' Christensen admits. ``I feel very thankful to be a part of the 'Star Wars' saga because it is such a moving and prominent one. But it also affords me the opportunity to make a movie like 'Life as a House.' I don't have to work for necessity, which is a privilege.''

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) A force to be reckoneed with

Hayden Christensen enjoys `Life' while bracing for `Star Wars' fame

Aaron Harris/Associated Press

(2) Hayden Christensen plays a disaffected teen in ``Life as a House,'' one of two big upcoming roles - the other is Anakin Skywalker in ``Star Wars - Episode II.''

(3)``Every sensibility that he has is so far removed from what I know about myself,'' says Christensen, with Jena Malone, regarding his ``Life as a House'' character.