Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson's Daughter Briar Rose Steals the Show at the Lucas Museum Opening – Her Resemblance to Her Parents Has Viewers Talking – Photos

For years, the parents have spoken about keeping their daughter grounded and largely removed from the machinery of fame. Now, at 11, Briar is beginning to step into a world her parents once worked hard to keep at arm's length, and one small moment made that especially clear.

Hayden Christensen has spent decades inspiring conversation whenever he steps into the "Star Wars" spotlight. But during one very special night in Los Angeles, something — or rather, someone — beside him quickly became just as much of a talking point.

The 45-year-old actor attended the opening night of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on September 19, 2026, and this time, he had an especially meaningful plus-one.

Hayden stepped out with his and Rachel Bilson's 11-year-old daughter, Briar Rose Christensen, marking a rare public father-daughter appearance.

A Rare Father-Daughter Night with a Very Personal Connection

The occasion also carried an obvious personal connection for the actor. As E! News reported, Hayden's history with George Lucas stretches back to his breakthrough as Anakin Skywalker in the "Star Wars" prequel films. "This is really special for me," Hayden told the outlet at the event.

"We're very happy to be here, and it's a real treat to get to share this with my daughter." Judging by what Briar Rose had to say about her father's most famous work, the evening gave the tween a chance to see a very different side of the man she simply knows as Dad. "It was really cool when I saw him up there," she said of seeing Hayden as Darth Vader on the big screen.

Hayden first entered the franchise in 2002's "Star Wars: Episode II — Attack of the Clones" before completing Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader in 2005's "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith."

Asked whether he might someday play the character again, however, the actor made clear that nothing was confirmed. "I would be thrilled to get to do that," he said. "But right now, those are just rumors." Still, Hayden admitted that seeing a new wave of affection for the prequel films has been "really heartwarming."

"It's been a journey getting here," he shared, "but it's been really nice to see the affection that people have for those films now."

Yet there was another small detail making Briar's comments about seeing her dad onscreen particularly interesting. Several years earlier, Rachel had been actively trying to keep those very movies away from their daughter.

In an April 2021 interview reported by E! News, Rachel revealed that then-six-year-old Briar knew both of her parents were actors but was not really aware of the extent of their fame. She knew her father had appeared in "Star Wars," Rachel explained, but she had "no idea what that even means, because she hasn't seen anything."

Then came the actress's rather memorable explanation. "And thank God, because he kills children, so let's keep that from her until she's like 80," Rachel joked, adding, "I'd like to keep it that way." Five years later, Briar's reaction at the Lucas Museum event suggested that particular "Star Wars" embargo has loosened considerably.

Briar Rose Once Wanted to Follow Her Parents Into Acting

Even at six, Briar had apparently already shown an interest in the family business. Rachel said her daughter had told her and Hayden that she wanted to become an actress, and wanted to do it "now."

"I'm like, 'How do we handle this?' But she doesn't really know," Rachel recalled. "And obviously, if it's something she chooses in her adult life then that will be that, but I think to keep that away from her as long as possible is our top choice." Rachel's own parents had made her wait until she was 18 to pursue acting, something she described as "smart."

While she stressed that there was nothing wrong with Briar wanting to act, she added, "It's not really what I would want for her at this age." And Hayden's work was not the only famous-parent project Briar faced a lengthy wait to watch. Rachel joked that her daughter would not be allowed to see "The O.C." until she was "at least 35."

As for whether her character Summer Roberts would make a good maternal example, Rachel thought the answer was yes. "By the end of the show, she did like a 180, and I feel like she was kind of a responsible person," she reflected. "It was, like, a full arc. She'll know how to hug a tree!"

Rachel Bilson Says Fame Barely Registers with Their Daughter

Keeping Briar relatively removed from the machinery surrounding her parents' careers appears to have remained important as she has gotten older. During a January 2026 appearance on Kristin Cavallari's "Let's Be Honest" podcast, Rachel offered another glimpse into the family's day-to-day dynamic.

"Ours is like a unique version of it, [sic] we get along very well," she said of co-parenting with Hayden. "We do a lot of stuff together. A lot." "We have been able to keep it very copasetic [sic] and nice for her," Rachel added.

The actress also explained that although both of Briar's parents work in entertainment — and Hayden in particular can attract considerable attention — their daughter does not seem overly impressed by celebrity.

"For my daughter, both of her parents are in the business," Rachel pointed out. "Especially her dad will get recognized, and it doesn't even register with her. It's kind of like it is what it is. She has a really good attitude about it, and I'd like to say not affected."

She added, "We're just mom and dad, [sic] it's definitely good." That comment takes on an especially sweet meaning alongside Hayden and Briar's museum appearance: beneath the franchise history, cameras and red carpet, this was ultimately a dad sharing an important night with his daughter.

Their Family Story Has Not Always Been Simple

Hayden and Rachel have built a solid foundation for Briar, one that Rachel has described as being surrounded by support. In an August 2024 interview with People, the actress said their co-parenting relationship was in a positive place.

"Everything's good. Everything's in a really good place," she shared. "She is so beautifully flourishing and has the support completely surrounding her from every side." Rachel also revealed an endearing detail about Briar's personality: unlike some children impatient to grow up, she is perfectly happy being young.

"Oh, my God, it's crazy. She does not want to get old. She likes being young. She's not one of those kids that just wants to speed it up and have a car and all that [sic]," she said. More important to Rachel is the person her daughter is becoming.

"You know what I love? She is kind and [sic] that's the best thing that you can hear or want for your kid," she divulged, adding that other parents had noticed Briar's kindness too. Rachel has also described herself and Briar as "pretty inseparable."

"We have a very, very close relationship. We're not usually ever apart for long," she said, also noting the openness between them when Briar discusses her feelings and experiences at school.

That comfortable family picture followed a romantic relationship between Rachel and Hayden that had experienced its own complicated chapters. During a 2023 appearance on Bill Maher's podcast, Rachel reflected candidly on how relationships can change with time.

"Time, you know, things happen, things change. It was difficult... There were many difficult things..." she revealed. Rachel also noted that even during her long-term relationship there had been periods of separation and reconciliation.

"Even in my long term, there was like a little separation a little earlier on, and then back together, and then having a kid and then, you know, just different—he was from a different place and like wanted to spend more time there, and just like, sometimes things just don't gel," she explained.

Her comments pointed less toward bitterness than an acceptance that a relationship can change while the responsibility shared by two parents remains. Years later, the family dynamic they have created around Briar appears to be the part that endured.

Viewers Debate Who Briar Rose Resembles the Most Upon Seeing the New Father-Daughter Photos

With that history in mind, the Lucas Museum appearance offered something fans rarely get: a clear new look at Briar Rose alongside her father as she enters her tween years. Upon seeing the images of Hayden in his jeans, graphic T-shirt, and dark blue jacket, and Briar in her dainty white dress, people began comparing her features with those of both Hayden and Rachel.

On one Instagram post, the opinions ranged from those who saw a near-perfect blend of both parents to viewers firmly convinced Hayden's features were winning out. "She looks like him and Rachel," declared one observer. Another person wrote, "Everyone saying she looks like Rachel which she does but her eye shape resembles her Dad's a lot [sic]."

A particularly enthusiastic commenter swooned, "Jesus they look so alike. 😍 Omg 😍 girl version of Hayden 😍 [sic]." Someone else split the resemblance right down the middle: "She has her moms [sic] eyes and her dad's smile 😍."

"I can see the resemblance cause they both have the same smile," another person observed. And one response kept things especially concise: "Dads eyes." Another viewer was less convinced that Briar strongly resembled Hayden facially, but noticed another similarity: "She may not look like him, but she [sic] definitely going to be tall like her dad."

But plenty of people looking at the very same images came away with the opposite conclusion. On a separate Instagram reel, Rachel's resemblance became the dominant theme. "She looks like her mum 😍," someone else chimed in. "Looks like mama," added a fellow spectator. Someone else went even further: "Omg she is her mother!"

And another viewer delivered perhaps the most decisive verdict of the bunch: "That's all mom." Still, another commenter found pieces of both parents, writing, "She has Rachel's eyes and Hayden's smile."

The reactions may disagree wildly over whether Briar is more Hayden, more Rachel, or an unmistakable combination of both, but that disagreement is precisely what made the photos such a conversation starter. For a child whose parents have intentionally tried to give her a life where fame does not define the family, her rare night beside Hayden offered fans only a small glimpse.

And fittingly, beneath all the discussion about movie history, celebrity and inherited features, Hayden's own explanation for bringing her along was much simpler: he was happy to experience something meaningful with his daughter.