Harrison Ford: Self, Han Solo
Quotes
-
Harrison Ford : I think George likes people, I think George is a warm-hearted person, but... he's a little impatient with the process of acting, of finding something. He thinks that something's there. "It's right there, I wrote it down. Do that". You know, sometimes you can't just "do that" and make it work.
-
Harrison Ford : There's a princess with weird buns in her hair, a giant in a monkey suit or something, it was weird. It was very, very weird.
-
Narrator : The role of Han Solo needed someone older with a more cynical edge. Harrison Ford had worked with Lucas on "American Graffiti". But because the director initially only wanted new faces, he was not allowed to audition. Instead, he was brought in to feed lines to the other actors.
Harrison Ford : I was given sides and asked if I would help read the other actors. It became my task to explain to the other actors who were coming along just what it was that this... these sides, uh... uh, were meant to be about.
Narrator : Lucas may have been relucant to use Ford at first, but the actor won him over by giving Han a mix of mercenary swagger and world-weariness.
-
Narrator : As the actors and crew began to grumble about the adverse conditions, it was Sir Alec Guinness who served as a role model of professionalism.
Harrison Ford : It was, for me, fascinating to watch Alec Guinness. He was always prepared, always professional, always very kind to the other actors. He had a very clear head about how to serve the story.
Mark Hamill : He was the person who sort of brought it some legitimacy. And I asked him why he wanted to do it. And he loved the idea of playing a mentor or a wizard in a morality play where good and evil are so clearly defined.
-
Peter Mayhew : [as Chewbacca] That old man's mad.
Harrison Ford : You said it, Chewie. Boy, where'd you dig up that old fossil?
-
Harrison Ford : [on the success of Star Wars] I was like this -
[rubs his palms together]
Harrison Ford : Great. Terrific. Now I can go to work. I have an opportunity to take advantage of the success of this film and go to work.
-
Harrison Ford : It's what the idea was of the character relationships. Mark was the callow youth and I was the smart ass and we each had a clear section of turf to explore.
