Anthony Daniels will take on the role of C-3P0 again in JJ Abrams' new Star Wars film. But he did at first say no...
Returning once again to play C-3P0 in JJ Abrams'Star Wars: Episode VII is Anthony Daniels. Since he first took on the role back in the original Star Wars, he's appeared in both of George Lucas'Star Wars trilogies. And now, Abrams has him back on set again.
But it wasn't always so. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Daniels revealed that he initially turned a return to the role down. "When JJ Abrams rang to ask me about filming Episode VII, one of the first things he said after he told me how wonderful I was - and that didn't take long - but then he said 'would you be interested in being in the film just doing the voice?'"
Daniels' response? "No". Abrams' response? "Right!" As Daniels recalled, "he knew I'd say that. There's no way I would just do the voice," and thus he was signed up to return the role, donning the requisite shiny suit. "I also said that it can't be the same suit. I will tell you that the team then got together and built a new suit. They made an entirely new look-a-like with changes that you will never notice that made my life a lot easier."
He also recalled the moments in the prequel trilogy, there were moments when C-3P0 was CG at points when it would have been dangerous to do the physical acting in a screen. But Daniels argues "it wasn't very good. In fact, I'm going to say it was awful." He added that "one of the difficulties is with a character that you know and love so well is that, as a member of the audience, you go 'Oh no, that’s not right. No, he doesn’t move like that.'" With an actor in the suit? "He’s always going to move the same way and have the same reactions, timing, and so on."
The full interview is well worth a read. You can find it here.
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