You’ve undoubtedly seen the Entertainment Weekly covers that hit this morning featuring various FORCE AWAKENS characters, but now we have some words from Han Solo himself, Harrison Ford, on what he thought about returning to a character he seemingly had no investment in over the years. If that wasn’t enough, there are a couple of new pictures to boot!
Harrison Ford on the character of Han Solo:
He was always the cynical member of the original characters. While we were invited to engage on the questions of some pretty arcane mysteries — the Force and the mythology that surrounds it — he was the guy who said, ‘What? Huh? Come on.’ It’s what made the interplay between the characters work. There was a callow youth, a beautiful princess, a wise old warrior, and there was a smart-ass.
Regarding how his character has and hasn’t changed:
He does not aspire to the position of Obi-‘Ben’ Kenobi, nor do I aspire to be some New Age Alec Guinness. His development is consistent with the character, and there are emotional elements which have occasioned his growth. We spend a lot more time [in THE FORCE AWAKENS] on his failure to master basic skills, like accounting. And accounting for his own behavior. There’s a lot of the rogue still left in Solo. Some things don’t change. I was glad that the character was still alive for me to play in this new iteration.
Whatever it is, whether it be time or a sweet paycheck, I’m happy to see that Ford has lightened up regarding his place in the STAR WARS universe. Still, there’s no denying that whether the man loves, hates, or is indifferent about his character, there’s no one else who could’ve played him like he did. Well, maybe Tom Selleck…
STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS will be in theaters on December 18, 2015.