12 facts behind the scenes you didn’t know about ‘Star Wars’

May 4 celebrate the world Star Wars Daythat celebrates George Lucas“Multi-billion dollars, decades long franchise.

Currently there are nine episodes in Star Wars film series, plus three detached films (and two to On the way). Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm for over $ 4 billion in 2012, the company has created a number Star Wars TV programs – including Emmy Award-winning Mandalorian – Goods and even a dedicated country at Disney Theme Parks.

But Luca’s hope was always to give an imaginative escape.

“The reason I do Star Wars is that I want to give young people some kind of distant exotic environments for their imagination to run around in, Lucas said New York Times 1976. “I have a strong sense of interesting children in space research. I want them to want it. I want them to go beyond the basic stupidity at the moment … that’s our only hope in a way.”

From where Lucas got its inspiration for the franchise to the real story behind Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the SithS final epic light -duel, here are 12 facts behind the scenes you didn’t know Star Wars.

Ewan McGregor uses an audio file full of SIR Alec Guinness lines to channel Obi-Wan Kenobi

Sir Alec Guinness brought the legendary jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi To life in Star Wars: Section IV – A New Hopeso Ewan McGregor knew he had a high task to play Jedi’s younger self in Star Wars Prequel trilogy.

Seventeen years later, McGregor recalled the role in Disneys Obi-Wan Kenobi series. To get back to character, McGregor went back to the source.

“I always try to sound like him, but I have to feel like him and that’s how he expresses things,” McGregor told Rat tomatoes 2022. ”I all have his lines from A new hope In an audio file, only his lines. ”

Samuel L. Jackson got his role as Mace Windu by talking about the franchise on a talk show

“Ask and you are going to get” sounds like Sage advice from Yodaand Samuel L. Jackson Put this phrase into action to be cast as the strong Vilja, purple-light-practicing jedi Woman woman.

In 1996 Jackson showed up at the British talk show TFI Fridaywhere he made it clear that he wanted to be part of the coming Star Wars Prequel trilogy.

“When I saw (Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope), I was like, “Damn, I would love to be in one of these movies,” Jackson told Screen sludge. “20 years later I had the opportunity to just say that, because I realized, yes, George (Lucas) was about to do the next part. Maybe if I say so often, he will hear it, and he did.”

Mark Hamill originally believed Harrison Ford’s Han Solo was the franchise star

Mark Hamill may have been the original franchise’s protagonist as the lovely Luke Skywalker, But originally he did not know He was the star. When Hamill Screen Tested with Harrison FordHamill thought he would just be a sidekick.

“When I tested, I thought Harrisons the leading man. I’m like the annoying sidekick … because I bathe him and all this,” Hamill told The Smartless Podcast 2025. “So I started reading this (script) and in the beginning I realized:” Oh my God. This is seen through the eyes of this teenage farm boy. “It was unusual in itself.

Jude Law’s childhood love for Star Wars inspired him to persecute his Skeleton herd role

In the continued expansion of Star Wars Universe, Disney released an upcoming age Adventure series is called Star Wars: Skeleton Crew 2024, as stars Jude team As a power use by the pirate captain named iodine.

As a child, team beloved Star Wars So much so that he wanted to be part of the franchise.

“I guess I looked back now, it was a big part of my love affair with film, The Beauty of Film as a story and therefore maybe what inspired me to act and why I wanted to be in that world,” Law told People 2024.

Darth Vader’s famous “I am your Father” line was only known by Hamill, Lucas and director Irvin Kershner until the film’s premiere

In the critically acclaimed Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes BackDarth Vader (expressed by James Earl Jones) spoke one of the most iconic lines of all time when Luke accused him of killing his father.

“No, I’m your father,” replied Vader.

The revelation was so secretive that only Hamill, Lucas and Empire strikes back director Irvin Kershner Knew about it in advance.

“The role and crew first learned about it when they saw the finished movie. When we shot it, Vader’s line was” You don’t know the truth, Obi-Wan killed your father. “Only Irvin Kershner, George Lucas and I knew what would be called later. Hamill wrote on x 2020.

Mark Hamill was bitten by a snake during filming Empire strikes back

IN Empire strikes backLuke Skywalker trains in the strength with the display-filled, miniature green Jedi champion Yoda on his home plane in Dagobah. But the set for the other worldly planet had snakes everywhere, and Hamill even became the bit of one of them.

“It was a little love nip,” joking Hamill afterwards in one behind the scenes video.

A real volcanic eruption was used for Revenge on Sith

IN Revenge on SithAnakin Skywalker-after having completely turned to the dark side-entering herself in an epic, fiery light saber battle with the friend-fience Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic planet of Mustafar.

It turns out that some of these volcanic eruptions were real, as Volcano Mount Etna broke out while the crew filmed background photography in Italy for the film, Per Lucasfilm editor JW RinzlerS book The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Hayden Christensen appealed to carry Darth Vader -costume

After playing Anakin Skywalker – who switched from a prophetic Padawan Jedi to one of the most unfortunate villains of all time – Christensen was not intended to donate the iconic Darth Vader -costume in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

Lucas and producer Rick McCallum tried “basketball players” and similarly high actors to carry Vader -costume, but Christensen requested that he do it instead.

“I just asked very politely if it was possible. And George (Lucas) and Rick (McCallum) – and the kind of people they are – allowed me that privilege,” Christensen said About entertainment 2005.

Yoda was almost played by a monkey with a mask

Yoda’s puppet look was almost even quirkier. In Rinzler’s book he wrote that Lucas originally wanted Yoda to be played by a monkey in a mask.

The idea didn’t last long and legendary Muppar Creator and puppet Jim Henson was brought in to help build Yoda that the fans feel today.

There were two versions ofMandalorianS Baby Yoda

As the first live action Star Wars show, Mandalorian was a smash hit and its breakout -star was none other than the adorable Baby Yoda. Taking him to the screen would ultimately pay, but it was not an easy task.

In most scenes moved up to five puppets Animatronic eyes, heads and arms, as VFX supervisor Richard Bluff told Hollywood Reporter. But there was also a “dropped” version that could be held in the background when the child was in focus.

In addition, a CGI version of the character was created for “the rare opportunity that we needed CG for the performance. It had to match the puppet exactly,” Bluff said.

Daisy Ridley secured her role through a Kylo Ren interview

A new hopeThe Star Wars: Section VII – The Force Awakens director JJ abrams Be out to throw a relatively unknown for the role of Rey in the sequel.

Daisy RidleyAs eventually won the part, had to try five times – and survive a hearing of the villainous Kylo Ren (Adam driver).

On one behind the scenesAbrams said she was given the role when he saw the complex selection of emotions that Ridley could show while he was interrogated by the driver.

George Lucas was influenced by Akira Kurosawa’s film from 1958 The hidden fortress

Japanese director Akurosawa may have had the greatest influence over Luca’s work. The unique story in Kurosawa’s Epic in 1958 The hidden fortress helped Lucas realize how he wanted to tell Star Wars.

“(The hidden fortress’) The story was told from the two lowest characters, ”Lucas said on the film’s Blu-ray special features. “I decided it would be a nice way to tell Star Wars story, which is to take the two lowest characters, as Kurosawa did, and tell the story from their point of view, as in Star Wars Cases are the two Droids (C-3po and R2-D2). ”