For one young fan, life became even more thrilling. He lived a Star Wars moment. Amazed with what they had just experienced on screen, he and his dad got back in the car and set off for home. It was snowing. As they speeded up, the snow fell more heavily. Now it seemed the white flakes were flying towards them, bright in the headlights. And suddenly the boy was there, inside their cockpit with his dad – jumping to lightspeed.
And I enjoy seeing fans at conventions. I am astounded by their dedication and patience. But what I really like to see are friendships being born between strangers in the line; acquaintances made during the wait, interests and opinions shared, lasting bonds created.
Fans often thank me for their childhood, frequently becoming quite emotional, as they recall their first memory of seeing Star Wars with dad, or mother, or pals. It may have been a refuge – sometimes an inspiration. Eternally now, a part of their family history. All of their stories touch me. No matter how many times I hear those words, “Thank you for my childhood,” I honestly say back, “Thank you for being there.”
And I mean it.
63 heroes
It had been so easy to bond with Mark.
The challenge of working in the desert wastes and ghastly delights of our hotel in Tunisia brought us together – much like the relationship between Threepio and Luke. His bright Californian energy was infectious and charming. He was always “on”, which was a new experience for me – I’m not sure I have ever “joshed”. But I so admired his easy acting style. He was clearly at home in front of a camera. His warmth was natural, whether or not it was called for in George’s script. I truly felt that his attitude towards Threepio helped the audience believe that the golden droid was his real companion.
It was a pleasure, too, to meet Harrison, once Mark and I returned to the UK. His nonchalant sparkiness was a delight, as was his sharp intelligence. We shared vindaloos and stuffed naans together at Khan’s, my local good-value Indian restaurant. We ate rather more poshly French, with Sir Alec at La Poule au Pot.
Alec was always the most generous, gentle host, enlivening our meals with tales from his memories and interest in our futures. He may have regretted hosting a meal in a London taverna, where we all got a bit carried away, dancing and smashing plates. They don’t do that anymore, even in Greece. But it was brilliant fun.
The last addition to the group of heroes was, of course, Carrie. Totally at home in the English culture, she was always a lively delight – sweet, friendly, courteous and spunky. It was all good. But in the days following her arrival, I noticed a gradual change.
It was hard for me to be a part of the team. They were American. They had a common culture, language, terms of reference. They could see the expression on their faces, as they acted our scenes together. They could relate to each other. They wore clothes that made relaxing together easy, over a coffee break. Their hairstyles, constantly tweaked. They wore makeup that made them look good all day. I was British – pedantic. I wore a disgustingly hot costume that took ages to engineer me into, and out of, and left me looking boiled alive. They were far down the road in their cars before I limped damply from my dressing room.
I began to see a distance growing between us. They were a team, on film and in life. Good for them. Their raucous camaraderie was not just for their weekends and evenings. It continued on set – sometimes with rather distracting results.
All that joshing made it hard for me to concentrate. It was clear that, whatever the demands of acting face-to-face with another character, it was a lot harder if you were in a rigid suit with restricted vision. I had to rehearse and remember precisely where objects were placed and where other characters were standing – and remember the strange dialogue. I had a lot to say, more than others on screen, and it wasn’t easy dialogue to get inside your head. It all really did need my full attention. Of course, the gang would be a little louder as the effects of the night before wore off. They were usually friendly and courteous, though, on occasion, when pushed by various tensions that would not always be the case.
I do remember a fun time when Lucasfilm arranged for Mark to show me round Disneyland for the day. Excited at the thought of visiting this iconic American institution, I was a little apprehensive about meeting him again. I’d heard about his horrible car accident – his facial scarring. Luckily, I spotted him before he saw me. I got over the slight change in his looks. We didn’t mention it as we drifted and laughed through “It’s A Small World”. For me, the endless parade of dolls twirling and miming to a hypnotically simple song was something far worse than a car crash. It still rattles around my brain some four decades later. But I so admired Mark’s fortitude and constant enthusiasm and energy. My day at Disneyland was a revelation. And how quaint to think that neither of us could ever have foreseen the major connection that was waiting for us. But before that, we would share other good times together.
The prequels were different. The old gang absent. As we passed by each other on the set of The Rise of Skywalker, the final chapter in his family’s Saga, I gave Mark a quick hug. Kathy and J.J. had given him a lovely, appreciative speech in front of the assembled crew. It was his last day. His participation was complete. His role as Luke, done – at least as far as movies were concerned. I guessed how he felt. I had to dash off to dress for my next scene.
That night, I emailed him a fuller goodbye.
He replied.
From: Mark Hamill
To: Anthony Daniels
Sent: Wed, 19 Dec 2018 9.28pm
Subject: Re: Today
Thanks for the more than kind words, Tony. I grew so fond of our fictional relationship; it was hard to be separated in this new trilogy. You & R2 were my family & they certainly didn’t dare take Chewie away from Han. I was appalled that in the original script for VIII, I just walked by without even acknowledging you! I was grateful Rian let us at least have that brief farewell moment, even if it was only a nod & a wink. Perhaps it was fitting, as there are no words to convey the depth of Luke’s gratitude to his faithful sidekick, just as there are no words to express mine for you.
Thank you for a lifetime of fond memories, friend.
xoxo, mh
It was possibly the most touching message I and Threepio ever had.
64 closure
I realised that for some time I had harboured a kind of resentment. Well, several resentments.
“Did you get the part ’cos you fitted the costume?”
How many times had I felt trivialised – and not just by news reporters, often treated as not being much of an actor – that the suit did the performance – that there was no acknowledged connection between the droid and me – that I felt inferior to my fellow actors, lauded for their visible performances – that personally, I was not worth anything at all.
Everything around that first film had taken away my self-confidence and replaced it with anger. I also recognised that I had the extraordinary chance to work with a genius; a genius who could be socially awkward, neither particularly comfortable directing actors – nor generous with his praise of their work. But unquestionably a visionary. He created a profound and moving mythology for our time, a legend that still powerfully resonates, decades after its birth.
Notwithstanding his brilliant creation of a galaxy filled with fantastic creatures and droids, it transpired that even a visionary genius can make sensitive human life forms – such as myself – feel significantly under-appreciated.
Many months after A New Hope had opened, I asked to speak with him. He invited me to breakfast in London. We sat in the Richoux coffee shop on Piccadilly, near his favourite Hard Rock Cafe. We looked at the menu and ordered a croissant each. I had come to talk rather than eat.
I asked him why I felt so neglected, after what I had put into his film.
I wish I could remember George’s answer. I think he intimated that working with Threepio, and therefore me, had bee
n difficult. I was thunderstruck. Hurt again. I must have wondered if he had ever tried on the ill-constructed fibreglass costume in the cold of the desert and the heat of Elstree.
“And you never said anything nice about my performance.”
George muttered.
“You were terrific.”
Astounded.
“Pardon?”
Louder.
“You were terrific.”
Shocked, I may have mumbled, thank you – but I was distracted by the waiter. The menu was out of date. The price of croissants had risen by a penny, over the weekend. Such is the reality of life outside the movies.
Whatever my hurts, I wouldn’t be writing here without the inspiration of George Lucas’s inspiration. He has shown me kindnesses over the years since that day. Sincerely grateful that I am, it’s perhaps understandable that I would have preferred to feel that respect from the start. But that morning in London, George did insist on paying for my croissant.
It became public knowledge that Sir Alec had grown a little resentful, that he was known only as Obi-Wan. His fabled career on stage and film seemed eclipsed; his versatile talents, shown in so many thrilling, touching, amusing, dramatic roles, were as nothing compared to the popularity of his performance of an old guru in a dressing gown. In spite of all the good things Star Wars had brought him, he regretted the way his triumphs had been subsumed. Alec had achieved so much. He wanted to be remembered for it all. I understood. I would never, could never approach his abilities but, in my own small way, I empathised.
Time passed.
Gradually, slowly, my mood changed. I began to realise the luck of it all. In spite of my initial reluctance to be a part of this endeavour, something grand but humbling had come out of it. I had been given the opportunity to use my skills as an actor, my profession, my passion, to create a character that would become one of the most iconic and beloved of our time. Also, I’d been given the gift of being part of something, much bigger than any one person, touching the lives of millions around the world, inspiring and uniting them. The appreciation I sought was there, day after day, from the fans – the audience. They liked the one thing I offered them. I had achieved something that few are given the opportunity to do. For that I must be – I am – eternally grateful.
I was in a limo in New York, trying to adjust the TV, with its irritating supermarket commercial about “wieners being 39 cents the pound”.
Suddenly. Loudly. Breaking News!
“Great Britain’s Sir Alec Guinness actor Obi-Wan Kenobi dies at eighty-six.”
I was saddened.
Alec had been kind to me and encouraging. He had given me a gentle friendship at the time I really needed it. I had spent weekends with him and Merula at their country home, with the dog and the goat. We had laughed over dinners and breakfasts. He had explained that Star Wars was an unusual project. I would find others would be different – better. He was like an uncle, with a very dry sense of humour and a waspish tongue, when appropriate.
Over the years, our knowing each other thinned to a whisper, as friendships often do. People move on. Up. Down. Sideways, like doors in a Star Wars film, opening and closing. It had been an honour. Now he was gone. I was moved to think that he had died before reaching that stage of acquiescence and understanding that I was finally approaching.
I had survived long enough to pass through those negative shallows and rise up. I was grateful that my offering of Threepio was enjoyed by so many, over generations. The fans had become friends, whether we’d met or not. They liked Threepio. I like him, too.
I have been proud to know him.
“Is it hot in the costume?”
“I do wish someone would ask me a question I’ve never been asked before.”
“What would that be?”
Smart kid.
But then.
“What will happen to Threepio in the end?”
I was stunned.
Silenced.
After his token presence in the later films, I suggested to J.J. that he should give Threepio a fitting, meaningful end in The Rise of Skywalker. A melting down, perhaps – a careless scrapping. In human terms, a death, for the Cause. He looked at me.
“Not on my watch.”
I surely recognise, I will someday leave the stage. I hope that I will do so in the knowledge that I have imbued See-Threepio with enough life that, with the love of the fans, he will go on without me.
an end
droidography
films
1977Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (film)
1977Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope: Deleted Scenes (film addition)
1980Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (film)
1980Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back: Deleted Scenes(film addition)
1982Return of the Ewok (short film)
1983Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (film)
1983Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi: Deleted Scenes (film addition)
1996Special Effects: Anything Can Happen (IMAX short film)
1999Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (film)
2000Star Wars Episode II: The Saga Continues (film addition)
2002Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (film)
2004The Characters of Star Wars (film addition)
2005Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (film)
2008Star Wars: The Clone Wars (animated film)
2012Cosplaygirl (Short film)
2014The Lego Movie (film)
2015Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens
2016Secrets of the Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey (film addition)
2016The Force Awakens: Force for Change (film addition)
2016The Force Awakens: Building BB-8 (film addition)
2016Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (film)
2017Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (film)
2018Solo: A Star Wars Story (film)
2018The Director and the Jedi (film addition documentary)
2018Ralph breaks the Internet (animated film)
2019Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker (film)
television
1977The Making of Star Wars (TV movie documentary)
1977Donny and Marie (TV series)
1978The 50th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
1978The Star Wars Holiday Special (TV movie)
1980The Making of ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ (TV movie documentary)
1980The Muppet Show (TV series)
The Stars of Star Wars (1980)
1980Sesame Street (TV series)
1364 (1980)
1396 (1980)
1980Star Wars Underoos (TV commercial)
1981Multi-Coloured Swap Shop (TV series)
1983Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi (TV movie documentary)
1983From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga (TV movie documentary)
1984Donald Duck’s 50th Birthday (TV special short)
1985-1986 Star Wars: Droids (TV series)
The White Witch (1985)
Escape Into Terror (1985)
The Trigon Unleashed (1985)
A Race to the Finish (1985)
The Lost Prince (1985)
The New King (1985)
The Pirates of Tarnoonga (1985)
The Revenge of Kybo Ren (1985)
Coby and the Starhunters (1985)
Tail of the Roon Comets (1985)
The Roon Games (1985)
Across the Roon Sea (1985)
The Frozen Citadel (1985)
The Great Heep (1986)
1990 The Magical World of Disney (TV series)
Disneyland’s 35th Anniversary Special (1990)
1996 Showbiz Today (TV series)
1997Star Wars
: The Magic and the Mystery (TV movie documentary)
1998The Best of Hollywood (TV movie documentary)
1999The Unauthorised Star Wars Story (video documentary)
1999The Stars of Star Wars: Interviews from the Cast (video documentary)
2001SF:UK (TV series documentary)
No More Heroes (2001)
2001R2-D2: Beneath the Dome (TV special short)
2002Hollywood History (TV series documentary)
2002Star Wars: Connections (TV short)
2004-2005 Star Wars: Clone Wars (TV series)
Chapter 15 (2004)
Chapter 16 (2004)
Chapter 21 (2005)
Chapter 23 (2005)
2004Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (video documentary)
2004Ultimate Sci-Fi Top 10 (TV mini-series documentary)
2004When Star Wars Ruled the World (TV movie documentary)
2004The Story of Star Wars (video documentary)
2005Science of Star Wars (TV mini-series documentary)
War, Weapons and the Force
Space Cowboys
Man and Machines
2005Star Wars: Feel the Force (TV movie documentary)
2005Only Human (TV series documentary)
2005The 100 Greatest Family Films (TV movie documentary)
2005Star Wars Heroes & Villains (documentary)
2005-2006 Jeopardy! (TV series)
2007Star Wars at 30 (TV movie)
2008-2011 Star Wars: The Clone Wars (TV series)
Destroy Malevolence (2008)
Bombad Jedi (2008)
Trespass (2009)
Blue Shadow Virus (2009)
Hostage Crisis (2009)
Senate Spy (2009)
The Zillo Beast Strikes Back (2010)
Evil Plans (2010)
The Citadel (2011)
Mercy Mission (2011)
Nomad Droids (2011)
2009The Star Wars Comic Con 09 Spectacular (TV special)
2009The Making of Star Wars – In Concert (TV movie documentary)
2010Robot Chicken: Star Wars III (TV movie)
I Am C-3PO--The Inside Story Page 25