“You can never have too many droids.”
There was only one panel on the topic Sunday at the Star Wars Celebration in Orlando, though. Naturally, it was titled “These Are The Droids You’re Looking For.”
Anthony Daniels, quoted above, told the audience that a concept painting by Ralph McQuarrie, showing a “bereft” C3PO, convinced him this “funny little low-budget sci-fi movie” was the gig he was looking for.
Alan Tudyk, K2SO in Rogue One, said he got the role at a Star Wars Celebration two years earlier in Anaheim. Footage rolled of Tudyk in a motion capture suit; Daniels called him a “fake droid” for that. Still, Tudyk recalled that he had a great time shooting Rogue One in London and around the world.
“I got to swim with a whale shark one night,” he said, cheerfully sounding like that was an experience that didn’t worry him a bit.
Warwick Davis paid tribute to the late Kenny Baker, who played R2-D2, telling how Baker’s food poisoning on a shoot in California promoted Davis to the role of Wicket at the last minute, and recalling his colleague’s support.
“Oh, my God! What happened to this guy? He really let himself go.”
Mark Hamill claims that’s the reaction he gets when he meets kids who saw his 1977 movie (Yeah, that one) and don’t quite understand time or growing older yet.
Probably not, but he spent an hour or so answering questions while audibly hoarse and probably exhausted.
Still, as he rattled off his recent projects — a lot of them — it became clear that he likes being busy and tired. He confirmed the point, telling the audience that his career after Star Wars got a jump start from his dedication working on Broadway, including Amadeus and The Elephant Man, before his shift toward voiceover roles.
Following in Carrie Fisher’s (and Gary’s) footsteps, Hamill brought his two canine companions –Millie and Mabel — to Star Wars Celebration.
ijamesastewart 