Clones thrill fans in LA

He left his light sabre at home - but Obi-Wan Kenobi looked remarkably relaxed when he met his nemesis.

Ewan McGregor, who plays Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, met Darth Vader at the Los Angeles premiere of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones, the latest in George Lucas's blockbuster series.

The British actor had swapped the robes of a Jedi knight for a more casual blue striped shirt, and had shaved off the beard he wears throughout the film.

But he thrilled fans at Graumann's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard by taking to the red carpet with co-star Natalie Portman - who plays Senator Padme Amidala - and by posing with rebel Jedi Darth Vader.

Portman, whose haircut in the film has been described by critics as "the most spectacular of all time", also left her costume behind in favour of a designer white dress and appeared with "NY" apparently tattooed on her arm. Also at the premiere of the second in the three "prequels" to the original Star Wars was Samuel L Jackson, who plays Jedi knight Mace Windu.

The new film features Christopher Lee as a renegade Jedi lord who turns against the Republic and unleashes an army of warrior clones. Yoda, R2-D2 and C-3PO also appear.

In the original Star Wars movie Obi-Wan, played by Sir Alec Guinness, was killed by Darth Vader. In Attack Of The Clones, played as a younger man by MacGregor, he leads the hunt for Senator Amidala's would-be assassin. At his side is Anakin Skywalker, the young knight played by Hayden Christensen.

The £82 million film opens in Friday in Britain, with some cinemas already booked out. In America Episode II goes head-tohead with the newly released Spider-Man film.

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