2024-04-14 20:17:17
This May marks 47 years since the premiere of the first part of the iconic Star Wars. The golden droid with a diplomatic demeanor was portrayed by a single actor during that time. Anthony Daniels, who became famous for his role as the nervous C3PO, visited the Prague Comic Con this year. In almost half a century, he was the only actor to appear in all eleven films of the series. “I was actually improvising the whole time,” Daniels says with amusement.
The 78-year-old actor still remembers his first interview with the creator of Star Wars, George Lucas. That’s when he turned down the director’s offer. However, his agent finally talked him into meeting Lucas. However, it wasn’t the film itself that made him accept the role. During the meeting, he was drawn to a concept drawing of C3PO by Ralph McQuarrie pinned to the wall.
“I looked at the picture and immediately fell in love with his face. I can’t explain it. It just moved me. The figure was very lonely, it was as if it was leaning towards me to say, ‘Come.’ And the next day they gave me the script. I didn’t understand it at all. The only character I liked was C3PO,” Daniels explains. The day after that, he accepted the role and in two days he was already covered in plaster. “Eventually, the shape you now recognize was created,” he adds.
No one told him he was going to talk to himself
The original gold droid costume consisted of a total of 17 plastic pieces. The entire dressing process then required two hours of time and six assistants. In addition, Daniels only tried on the costume once, for 15 minutes, before filming. He was then reunited with the suit in front of the camera, in the desert. The gold colored pieces of plastic didn’t allow for much movement. It didn’t help that the actor could see through two small holes in the robot’s helmet. Bumping into props and colleagues was a common thing.
“At first I had no idea what to do,” Daniels recalls of the first shoot. The biggest shock came with the droid R2D2. In the scenario, two robots have a completely normal conversation. However, it looked different during filming. “No one mentioned that R2D2 would never say a word. Even George Lucas didn’t tell me that I would be talking to myself. That’s quite difficult. So I wrote down what I thought the can was saying,” the actor explains.
The now well-known beeping of the robot R2D2, which he responds to, was only added in post-production. This unique effect, along with the rustling of lightsabers, Darth Vader’s breathing and the sound of laser blasters, is the work of sound designer Ben Burtt.
“I looked at that picture and immediately fell in love with his face. I can’t explain it. It just moved me,” Daniels recalls. | Photo: Jakub Plíhal
His favorite is the LEGO movie
The first three films from the Star Wars series were created at the turn of the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn’t until almost 20 years later that three more parts came out, which predate the original trio in terms of plot. It was then that George Lucas called Daniels again. “It was a really big surprise,” he admits. This time, he was excited by the connection between C3PO and the Jedi Anakin Skywalker, who builds the droid in the film. “It took me three days to realize that Anakin was a villain. And three more that he was Darth Vader!” the actor says with amusement.
In addition to the eleven films, the world of Star Wars is also made up of a number of live and animated series. One of them is the animated Clone Wars where Daniels dubs his C3PO. In an interview with Aktuálně.cz, he explained that although the cartoon version is not the same as the live version, the spirit of the characters is preserved. In addition, he doesn’t have to be in costume with her, which he says is a huge advantage, especially in the case of his character. He also revealed that his favorite movie is New Stories from the Yoda Chronicle made from LEGO bricks.
“It took me three days to realize that Anakin was a villain. And three more that he was Darth Vader!” the actor says with amusement. | Photo: Jakub Plíhal
The religion of Jediism is absurd, the actor thinks
The topic of Jediism as an official religion was also discussed in the interview. “Absurd,” Daniels replies without hesitation. “The Force and the Jedi represent good. They symbolize freedom, justice, truth and peace. That’s what’s in relatively short supply these days. But it’s not about religion. It’s the point of view of right-thinking people. So you don’t have to be religious, you don’t have to profess any faith. It’s enough to be a good person,” he points out.
He considers it an honor and a responsibility to be the only actor to appear in all eleven films. However, when he remembers the shooting of the first film, he has to smile. “We all thought it was rubbish. Only George Lucas believed it was good. But then the audience saw it and the film became a sensation,” he laughs.
At the Prague Comic Con, people could meet Daniels on Saturday and Sunday. He likes such events very much. “I love that people stand in line for hours and make friends and share stories at the same time. Star Wars in particular is great for that. Darth Maul, Princess Leia, all these characters have something in them that touches everyone,” he explains. “And may the force be with you,” says actor Anthony Daniels in the voice of C3PO.