Harrison Ford never expected to reprise his role as Han Solo in a Star Wars film and said it was an “absolute pleasure” to play the part again.
Ford appeared in Sydney in Thursday as part of a global tour in the lead up to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The latest Star Wars film, directed by JJ Abrams, is set to open in cinemas next week around the world.
“People have spent a lot of time trying to explain the attraction of these stories,” Ford said. “Basically it’s stories about growing up, loyalty … it’s a hero’s journey.
“It has sort of transcended national borders and cultures, and I’m gratified for that.”
Ford told a crowd of thousands of waiting fans at the Sydney Opera House the new film was an exciting project to work on. “There was no reason to be believe there would be another after the three we did,” he said.
Abrams has been someone that Ford had admired “for a very long time”, and he said he was happy to be part of the rebooted project. The enduring appeal of Star Wars of generations of fans has long been discussed. The latest film is expected to break cinema records around the world.
The film is the seventh in the 30 year Star Wars franchise, and takes off sometime after the events in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. A new generation of jedi and heroes, with a cast including Oscar Isaac, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver and John Boyega, take centre stage, while Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher all reprise their roles in the original films.
But what, Ford was asked, is the weirdest thing that has happened to him when he’s spoken to a fan?
“I haven’t had anything weird happen. Yet,” he said. “Nothing really bizarre has ever really happened. People are very generous and good natured.”
