HE’S undoubtedly one, if not “the”, coolest bloke in the galaxy, far, far away or otherwise.
Dashing and brash, his edgy and reckless heroics with the Rebellion against the Galactic Empire and The First Order have thrilled moviegoers old and new alike.
First played by veteran Hollywood actor Harrison Ford in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope back in good old 1977, the character of slippery smuggler-turned-general Han Solo now has a new story to tell — his origin.
Taking back the iconic role to his formative past, the new film, titled Solo: A Star Wars Story, is directed by Ron Howard.
It also features an ensemble cast with Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Joonas Suotamo, Paul Bettany and Alden Ehrenreich who takes on the titular role of the young hero.
NEW ROLE
Clarke, who made her name internationally in 2011 after her lead role as Daenerys Targaryen in the ongoing HBO series Game Of Thrones, is excited to be joining the Star Wars universe.
It was The Force Awakens (2015) that got the petite 32-year-old English actress to want to get involved in Solo.
“It was such an incredible piece of work and so stunning, because of how great Lucasfilm can make things look onscreen now. So it’s this beloved story that you've grown up with that’s been given a whole new makeover, and an opportunity to be part of that is too good to miss,” says the three-time Emmy Awards nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
In Solo, Clarke plays Qi'ra, who grew up together with Han and were incredibly close when they were younger.
She says that her character is attracted to Han due to his risk-taking nature.
“Han is such an opportunist, and even if he doesn’t know what he’s doing, he does it anyway. I feel like that is incredibly endearing and so impressive, because he always lands on his feet. He does these stupid things that should never work, and they do. And he does them with bravado,” she says.
On playing an original character in the Star Wars franchise, Clarke explains that it was an exciting endeavour.
“As someone who has taken on characters that already exist, which can be really daunting and scary, it’s been really fun to slip a new character in here that is integral to a character that we all know so well. I did a lot of research and I kind of geeked up on a lot of stuff because I wanted to get it right,” says Clarke, who played the iconic Sarah Connor in Terminator Genisys (2015).
SAME SPIRIT, FRESH OUTLOOK
On director Ron Howard, Clarke says that “he’s like a kid on this movie”.
“He loves it. I remember one of the first days on set when he asked Alden if he could see his gun. Then he started shooting it. He’s just so young at heart and really inspiring,” she said of the 64-year-old Oscar-winning director.
Howard has helmed movies from various genres such as A Beautiful Mind, Forst/Nixon and Apollo 13.
“He brings an energy that is really in keeping with Star Wars. And he also knows how to sculpt a story. He has a great relationship with the writers, Jonathan and Larry Kasdan. George Lucas and Ron go way back, which helps. Ron knows these movies, and he is respectful of them,” says the actress.
Clarke explains that aside from the spectacle, Howard is also sensitive towards the characters.
“Ron gets the characters and the relationships between them, which is so important because this is what this entire movie is based on,” she says.
So the fans can be assured that the film will retain the spirit of the originals.
“The characters that they love are being taken care of. I think it’s really important to respect and appreciate, and have as much knowledge as you can about about where our movie’s coming from, to then be able to bring it to life again in this new way,” she says.
Clarke describes Han and his relationship with Wookie companion Chewbacca as the ultimate bromance.
“Han and Chewie are just the epitome of friends forever. They have each other’s back. I think that when they find each other, Han and Chewie both are lost souls. Hopefully, by the end of our movie, you’ll see that their friendship will last forever and ever,” she says.
PLAYING LANDO
Joining the Star Wars universe was a no-brainer for Glover.
“I grew up on it, so it’s really exciting to be on something like this. It was great to have that prior knowledge of the world,” says the 35-year-old American actor, who is also a comedian, singer-songwriter, writer, rapper, producer and director.
On why he took on the role of Lando, Glover says: “He was the most intriguing character to me when I was a kid, because you didn’t really know if you could trust him when you met him. He kind of came out of nowhere, and sometimes he’s a good guy and sometimes he’s a bad guy. He’s only beholden to himself. I think those are honest traits.
Although it’s an iconic role as well, Glover wasn’t really nervous about playing Lando.
“I was never going to play him like Billy Dee Williams. I’m not Billy Dee Williams and he isn’t me,” he says of the original Lando actor.
“We are going to be compared but I think at a certain point, it’s apples to oranges, a completely different story, and my take on him is way different. I was really excited to play somebody like that,” he says.
UNIVERSALLY COOL
Glover feels that Lando’s flair and style are what adds to the character’s lasting appeal.
He says: “I think it’s a lot of work to put that much style into your everyday life. You have to really care about things, and it shows that you care about perception in life in a different way. There’s something about Lando that's really graceful and cool.”
For Glover, Lando is just a very cool individual. Period.
“Very prim and proper. He’s a very smooth person and very self-assured. He’s the type of person who could be the life of the party if he sees it as being advantageous to him,” he says.
Even Clarke describes Glover as “the perfect Lando, just cool as a cucumber.”
Judging from the promo photos, Lando looked like he was fun to play.
“Lando definitely has the best clothes, like overcoats and capes. It’s been great to wear all those costumes. And it’s been really fun to actually be him,” says Glover enthusiastically.
He adds: “It’s been fun to focus on this character, and make something that’s unique. I’ve had a blast being Lando, from the hair to the capes to the boots, to the whole style.”
In Solo, fans will get to know more about Lando.
“We also get to meet his First Mate and people he’s worked with before. We get to see more of his world, and what he’s known for,” he says.
MAVERICK COMPETITORS
Glover adds that Lando is a pretty hard gambler. “He’s kind of a maverick. I feel like he’s been running around for a while. It’s funny, because when you meet Han in A New Hope, you feel like he’s been doing his thing longer than Lando. But this movie shows that Lando has been around doing this kind of wheeling and dealing for a little bit longer, which I think is cool,” he says.
As for the character of young Han Solo, Glover says that it’s cool to see him all wide-eyed about the nastiness of the world and how rough it can be.
“He’s figuring things out and that’s so endearing,” he says.
In the film, Lando and Han don;t trust each other but they have a common goal.
“They have friends in common and they have people they care about. They are acquaintances who care about each other but at the end of the day, they are also in competition with one another, which I think is complex but also very real,” he says.
PERFECT BACHELOR PAD
The film will also feature one of the most well-known and well-loved spaceships in the realm of sci-fi: The Millennium Falcon.
Glover geeked out when he talked about the recognisable pie-like craft.
“The Falcon in this film is brand-new, which is really cool to see. In between takes, I tend to hang out and I’ll just sleep in there. It’s such a calming, relaxing ship. It’s such a bachelor pad.”
He added: It's kind of funny, but we’ve never seen it this nice. It’s more of a reflection of Lando than Han, because it is Lando’s at this point.
Glover feels that the Millennium Falcon in this film is Lando’s bachelor pad. “It has a large living room, with a drinks and food section, and a stereo and a gaming station. The bedroom has a huge closet with like a million capes in it. It’s a very modern and minimalist approach to space travel,” he says.
The actor adds: “If I were flying through space, this is definitely the way I’d want to do it. It’s a great party ship. Perfect.”
“It would be so nice to just land somewhere and put the ramp down and just let people hang out in here. It’s actually really cool,” says the actor who has appeared in movies like The Martian (2015) and Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
FUN, LAUGHTER AND HEART
According to Glover, the new film will have a lot of heart and understanding of why people do things.
“I felt like it hit the sweet spot of being something that everybody could understand, but also being true to the world. Not necessarily our world, but very specific to human nature,” he says.
Glover explains that the film will let the audience see the other side of things that were insinuated in the originals.
“Like, why Han is like that? Why is Lando like that? But it’s done in a fun way, and it doesn't feel like history. It feels more like we just get to see a little sneak peek of things and understand why things are the way they are,” he says.
Clarke also lets on that the film “has got a bit of bromance, a bit of father-son, a bit of love, so you’ve got it all.”
When talking about the comedic aspect of the film, Glover says: “Good movies need a release valve, so I think comedy is important. It should be something that feels light as there’s darkness in there.”
“Whether it’s fighting or drama or comedy, or whatever, the choreography and the timing of things are always important. Comedy is all about timing,” he says.
Clarke adds that Glover’s “comic timing is second to none. It’s an incredible thing”.
Not surprising since Glover has starred in the hilarious sitcom Community and the dramedy series Atlanta, which he created.
For his work on the ongoing Atlanta, Glover won Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series and Golden Globe Awards for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy and Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy.
Glover says that audiences will be most surprised by the amount of fun they’ll have watching it.
“It’s a fun film. It makes me feel like a kid again. Hopefully, it’ll make other people feel like that too!”
Solo: A Star Wars Story opens in cinemas nationwide on May24.
Go Solo!
IN conjunction with the release of Solo: A Star Wars Story, the Star Wars Malaysia Fan Club (SWMFC) is organising a special fan day.
Titled Flying With Solo, the free public event, supported by Carousell, is catered to fans of all ages.
So head over to The School by Jaya One (Level 1, Jaya One, 72A, Jalan Universiti, PJ) on May 20 from 10am to 6pm.
There will be a cosplay competition, collector meetups, character appearances, games, a flea market featuring Star Wars related merchandise and more.
Best dressed Star Wars characters stand a chance to win exclusive Star Wars prizes from Carousell.
The contest is open to different age groups: Kids Cosplay Contest (For those under 16) at 5pm & Adults Cosplay Contest at 5.15pm.
Fans who purchase exclusive limited edition Star Wars merchandise on Carousell at the event will be eligible for a lucky draw prize.
For details, visit www.facebook.com/starwarsmalaysiafc and www.facebook.com/carousell.my
