J.J. Abrams attended the 12th annual Oscar Wilde Awards this past week, and of course he spent much of his time with the press fielding a host of questions about the Star Wars franchise.
During an interview with MSN, Abrams shared his admiration for Mark Hamill, whom of course he briefly directed in the final scene of Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
“I think we are all going to be very upset if he does not win an Oscar, and no one more upset than Mark,” joked Abrams. “Actually, he’s very funny. I always think frankly that he has been a little bit underrated. Look what he had to do to bring 3PO and R2-D2 to life in a way. His work was always incredible and there he was in that, sadly, short scene at the end of The Force Awakens and he had to convey a whole lot with no dialogue, so it’s a lot harder in a way than you might think. He is a terrific actor an I can’t wait for everyone to see what he finally does say.”
Abrams was then asked if he’s jealous that Rian Johnson gets to feature Luke Skywalker prominently in this year’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, replying that: “Sure, there’s definitely a pain, but Rian Jonson is a great filmmaker and storyteller, and I think what he’s done is… well, you will see, but for me, I was less jealous and more excited as a fan of the series. My involvement [as executive producer] is minimal as Rian Johnson is a filmmaker who doesn’t need babysat. He is hard at work in editing the movie now and it’s going to be amazing.”
He also spoke briefly about the late Carrie Fisher, stating: “She will be remembered for exactly who she was — one of the most brilliant minds: irreverent, clever, blinding-bright. I knew her for decades. To know her and to work with her, especially as that character, was surreal and a beautiful thing.”
Meanwhile, in a separate interview with FOX News, Abrams also shared his thoughts on the Han Solo Anthology movie, which began production this month: “I think it is a thrill to be a part of something that meant so much to me as a kid and to be part of allowing it to mean so much for kids now. It is fun to see it live on in various forms and ways even five years ago I would have never imagined it would have continued and knowing what is coming up is even more exciting. I can tell you it is an amazing script and the cast is obviously extraordinary.”
Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens on December 15th, while the as-yet-untitled Han Solo film is set for release on May 25th 2018.
Originally published February 25, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
