Page 113 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2020)

TALES FROM THE RED CARPET

He was very serious about playing the
role of Han Solo.”
Paying tribute to Peter Mayhew,
who is credited as a special advisor on

the new film, Suotamo revealed that
the retiring actor told him to bulk up
a bit. “Peter and I had a long discussion
before The Last Jedi. He told me how
Chewbacca moves, and how he thinks.
In the movies, you don’t get subtitles of
Chewbacca’s thoughts, but now I know
what he’s thinking.”

ith her cool demeanor
and instantly iconic hair,
W Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo Laura Dern (Amilyn Holdo) speaks to the press.
is one of the breakout characters in the
new movie. Award-winning actress
Laura Dern couldn’t be more delighted
with her character’s image. “It’s deeply
important that she is so feminine and
so in control,” explained Dern. “We all
felt that a leader should be able to be
feminine and not have to be one of the
boys to lead. I thought that was a great
choice in terms of the design, the hair,
and the costume.”
Despite being a big movie in terms

of scope, Dern was pleased to find that
the day-to-day reality was actually much
more akin to a small production. “It felt
protective, safe, and collaborative,” she
revealed. “It was like an independent
movie in way. Periodically I’d look up
and see Chewbacca or R2-D2 walking
past, which reminded me of what I
Daisy Ridley (Rey).
was doing! It was the greatest party I’ve
been invited to.”

apturing the imagination of been working out in the year between actual relationship. I seem to remember
audiences across the world, making The Force Awakens and The Last it working chronologically—or at
C Rey is very much a hero for Jedi—I’d been strength training. When least it seemed to in my mind. As

our times. Daisy Ridley is now firmly we got back into filming we didn’t have our relationship was growing, I think

established as an acclaimed star, with the time to train that we had the first the characters’ relationship was growing,
a variety of diverse roles showcasing her time around, but I felt stronger. I have as you see it on-screen.”
singular talent. Yet few of her roles have to say, I felt pretty badass!” Rey is at the forefront of a shift
required as much physical preparation as With unexpected plot twists placing in modern cinema that is increasingly

The Last Jedi. As befits a Force-user who the characters and actors outside of presenting female characters as strong,
veers to the light side, Ridley was very their comfort zone, Ridley relied on positive role-models. However, despite
much up for the challenge. “It was so her director and co-star to provide playing the best-loved hero on the
rigorous, but I enjoyed pushing myself,” continuity. “Mark [Hamill] and I have big-screen right now, Ridley admitted

she said. “It’s amazing what you can do. both talked about our unexpected that films aren’t always her thing.
“The big fight with Kylo Ren and reactions to reading The Last Jedi. We “I was always a book person, rather

Snoke’s guards involved a lot of stamina. were very lucky that we had a couple than a film person,” she shared. “All
It took two weeks to shoot. It was hard weeks rehearsal with Rian where we the heroes I knew were in books. Books
work just to keep up with everything. could just talk through everything. have never discriminated quite in the

I think that if I just learned the basic Working with a new director and a way films did. I have two sisters and
choreography, that wasn’t really doing new co-star is pretty big stuff. I felt grew up in a very loving household, so
it justice. I had to fight and act. I hadn’t like we were working through an for me I had everything I needed

STAR WARS INSIDER / 113