Star Wars Casting Fun Facts
MAY 4, 2016
May 4th is an excuse for fans to wear their favorite Star Wars gear and binge watch the now seven epic tales that Star Wars has to offer. May the 4th is a well celebrated pun and reminds fans of their love for the movies. Since it is to what some consider a Star Wars holiday, we thought it would be fun to give you some fun facts about the iconic Star Wars movies!
Did you know?
HARRISON FORD WAS CAST AS HAN SOLO BY ACCIDENT.
Lucas shared the seven-month-long casting sessions for Star Wars with his friend and fellow director Brian De Palma, who was casting for Carrie at the same time. Lucas was looking for unknown faces that he had never worked with before, and initially brought in Harrison Ford—who had appeared as the antagonist street racer Bob Falfa in Lucas’s American Graffiti—to feed lines to the auditioning actors. Lucas saw dozens of actors, including Kurt Russell, for the part of Han, but liked Ford’s delivery feeding lines to the other actors so much that he caved and cast him in the part.
ORSON WELLES WAS ALMOST DARTH VADER.
George Lucas originally wanted Orson Welles as the voice of Darth Vader, but dropped the idea when he thought Welles’s famous baritone would be too recognizble. In the end, James Earl Jones was the lucky one to say "Luke, I am your father." And he did a pretty darn good job.
JOHN BOYEGA'S BIG SECRET.
With a film of this popularity and budget of $200 million, who is casted is going to change the lives of these hopeful actors. When John Boyega auditioned for the part of Finn in Episode 7: The Force Awakens, he was so afraid of not getting the part that he didn't tell his family when he auditioned. He eventually told them after a cast photo was released to the general public on Twitter!
WHAT IF REY WASN'T REY?
Elizabeth Olsen, Jennifer Lawrence and Shailene Woodley were considered for the role of Rey. The role ultimately went to the well-deserved, Daisy Ridley. Olsen refused the audition because she had a contract with Marvel Studios for the role of Scarlet Witch in the Avengers’ franchise and because the shoot dates for The Force Awakens clashed with Age of Ultron.
