Billy Dee Williams on Star Wars: Rebels and the Sequel Trilogy.
Cinelinx recently posted half of an interview with Billy Dee Williams, regarding his role in Star Wars Rebels. Now, the second half of the article has surfaced, and Williams brings up a few interesting points about the Sequel Trilogy.
Highlights from the article include the following:
You mentioned you’ve been working with [Lucasfilm] for a while. When did they contact you about coming back for Star Wars Rebels?
BDW: Uh, we started shooting Rebels…about a year ago or maybe even longer than a year. But I did Robot Chicken and a couple of other things as Lando too. They keep calling me up to do Lando, and I love doing Lando so I don’t mind.
Did you see The Force Awakens trailer that released?
BDW: No, I haven’t seen anything, no.
But you are interested in seeing the movie when it comes out?
BDW: Oh, of course!
Were you ever approached to appear in the new movie? I remember when the first cast list was revealed with that photo, people weren’t happy that you were absent from it.
BDW: Yeah, people were pretty upset about it. But I uh…I may very well…I have a feeling I’m going to show up [somewhere in the Sequel Trilogy]. There’s nothing I can really discuss about it at this stage. People think of me as the original cast, but I didn’t come in until the second movie. I did Empire and then I did Return of the Jedi, but I came in after everyone else was introduced…So I think they’re probably proceeding in that way. I can’t imagine them not bringing Lando back. But we’ll see, I don’t know.
But if they gave you the call, you’d be willing to come back, right?
BDW: Oh sure.
I know you haven’t seen it, but when the new Star Wars trailer came out and we saw John Boyega…are you familiar with him?
BDW: No, I don’t know who that is.
You can read the full two-part interview here and here. Generally speaking, that last bit should probably put the rumors that Finn (John Boyega’s Stormtrooper character) is related to Lando Calrissian to rest. It also seems like Lando will not be making a cameo in The Force Awakens, though it’s likely he will show up later on in the Sequel Trilogy. It’s still possible that he actually is in The Force Awakens and he can’t talk about it due to an NDA. Nonetheless, we won’t get an answer until much later on.
Grant has been a fan of Star Wars for as long as he can remember, having seen every movie on the big screen. When he’s not hard at work with his college studies, he keeps himself busy by reporting on all kinds of Star Wars news for SWNN and general movie news on the sister site, Movie News Net. He served as a frequent commentator on SWNN’s The Resistance Broadcast.
The last question is slightly racist. Like, you are a black person, so you know Boyega?
c’mon, really?
Everyone knows that all Black people know each other.
I thought so too, but go to the full interview, read the next question.
What it’s racist is telling someone “person of color”, which is like saying ” I’m sorry you ate not white, but love you anyway”. Boyega is black for God sake. Or brown of you prefer. But he’s not a ” person of color”, that’s a pretty educated way to tell someone he’s not white.
Giving answers to dumb people is a waste of time.
It was referring to possible family connection between Fin and Lando Calrissian.
Not just the color connection you silly.
Keep reading it in his voice lol so smooth
Yeah, it is impossible to read his “Oh sure” response in anything other than Colt 45 smoothness mode.
I love Billy Dee Williams as Lando, and I certainly DO hope we see him in either Ep 8 or 9, making his re-appearance as something special and well deserved.
There’s been a trend in recent years to merely refer the “The Big Three” of the original SW trilogy ( curious, as that term was used originally for the ‘Big Three’ of the original Trek series ). There’s been a tendency to either forget, or porposefully onit Lando’s place in the saga.
Lando IS an integral part of the Star Wars Friends.
Granted he joined in ESB, but I do not see him as a lesser figure to the other cast members, and let’s also recall he is the hero ( alongside Wedge & Nien Nunb )who blew up the Death Star II.
Give the man his dues.
Lando will be at Han’s funeral.
Not a far-fetched speculation at all.
Dressed in Han’s clothes.
This made my day
that made me think, will we see Hans death or will it be implied?
(there is no capital letter at the beginning of this sentence. if i spell han with a lower case h it tells me i have spelt the word incorrectly.)
In typical BDW style, he’s being coy…..he KNOWS something!
A little slow. You know why, in old age.
Wait until episode 8 he will get more screen time. There are a lot of new characters to introduce in ep 7………
one could also read into it this way. he does know more, and he does know who boyega is, and he isn’t going to say anything because he doesn’t want to step on his own tongue… let’s say for arguemnents sake Boyega is lando’s son… do you think he wants to chance opening his mouth and letting something slip out and ruining a major plot twist… i agree with anon above that if Han does die… lando’s gotta be at the funeral…. my two cents worth…
finn calrissian? prob not
The Mizzlewump script treatment seems to be changing with all the new rumors coming in.
no you are right the name doesn’t fit but stranger things have happened and with the rumor of rey not being a real name maybe finn is a nickname… you never know and it doesn’t necessarily have to mean it’s his son but maybe just that he knows more than he’s letting on and therefore isn’t going to even open that can by stating so…
What if Lando comes in at the end to save the day (ala Han in ANH) or something?
I just dont see why they would treat his character any diff. than any of the other originals. Sure it could be a major climatic scene and thats all we get of him in the entire film…but the fan base wouldn’t know that…how would that giveaway a special ending? Why would they go through the work of hiding Billy Dee completely from the film – and (presumably) only him???
That would suck. Whole movie with no Lando. Then suddenly when all seems hopeless….
BAM! Lando outta no where saves the day, the end. That would be confusing for SW noobs that will no doubt be watching this movie and a poor way to give Lando the dues he deserves.
But Lando not being in the movie is probably worse then that would be anyway so………
“Are you familiar with him”
Hahaha wtf?
The answer is what’s hilarious…
“No, I don’t know who that is.”
Of course, you could read that multiple ways. Could be coyness, unintended insult, intended humorous insult, etc.
Or you could just put on the Colt45 voice and say, “Who?! Man, I don’t know who dat mf is!”
This sounds EXACTLY like a BDW response! I met him in person at Scarecrow video in Seattle and got his signature, AND at the EMP in Seattle for Star Wars and the Power of Costume. He has a certain way of speaking, and as I read this I heard his voice EXACTLY 😀
I asked him…standing right in front of him this past Sunday if he knew if Finn was his son in the new movie. He said you probably know more about episode 7 then I do…which I thought was kind of sad. A Lucasfilm Disney sanctioned artist told me they have 8 people hired just to leak out red herrings by the way……
Lando was a second character in the OT, like the ewoks, he dont need to be in TFA … IMO
The only ewok around here is you.
“i’m not really allowed to discuss the new film, but I can tell you one thing… Star Wars episode seven will be using practical effects. Bet you didn’t know that!”
Of course he knows. Reports are saying that Finn is the offspring of Lando and the now re-genderfied Chewbacca 😛
Thanks guys, I’ve been enjoying the site for months now. I usually do not miss the chance to catch up before I hit the rack. Thanks Again!
BTW there seem to be so nice YouTube videos about the casting on the Stand Alone movies. Had a little time today to check those out.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Heroes in A Half Shell
Turtle Power
You’re not confused…you’re just different. Sometimes that’s good and necessary 🙂
I’m Grooth
“Groot”..it’s…Groot
Vin D? Is that really you?
Vin D. as Darth Bane.
Maybe it is Vin, maybe it isn’t. But I’m pretty sure I am Groot. 🙂
Here are my photos from this weekend.
Princess Leia original drawing
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img908/3360/nUyJ6Z.jpg
Star Wars #38 cover
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img538/5190/D4fv6X.jpg
My trading card drawing I did of Lando signed.
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img901/8113/wFmBRR.jpg
My childhood Lando figure signed
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img540/3829/PN8uPG.jpg
Us and Billy Dee
http://imagizer.imageshack.com/img901/8783/uimIhS.jpg
” There’s nothing I can really discuss about it at this stage.” To me means as much as; “please stop asking, I’m not allowed to talk about it”
Calrissian Ale:
“So smooth, even the Empire won’t tax it.”