Legendary actor Billy Dee Williams‘ history in the Star Wars franchise is unlike any other actor’s journey in the epic space opera. When Williams slide on Lando Calrissian‘s cape in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back — he became the embodiment of charisma and cool — proving that style and swag could also be otherworldly.
More than just defining the surface level attributes of his character — Williams also kicked open the door for Black actors in Stars Wars. With his turn as Lando, he became the first Black actor with a major role in the franchise. It’s something we did not see again until Sameul L. Jackson’s Mace Windu in the ‘90s and again in 2015’s The Force Awakens when John Boyega put on Finn’s Stormtrooper armor.
Now, nearly 40 years after he first brought Lando Calrissian to life — The Lady Sings the Blues actor has returned to the Star Wars franchise. His return marks one of the most prolonged intervals between portrayals of a character by the same actor in American cinema history.
Closing out the nine-part Skywalker Saga — Williams has the chance to bring his own brand of suave and wit to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Ahead of the film’s premiere — blackfilm.com got an opportunity to sit down and chat with the Mahogany actor about reprising his role after all of these years and what he really thought of Donald Glover’s take on Lando.
“I didn’t watch any of the old stuff to get back to Lando,” Williams revealed when asked about doing a character refresh with The Empire Strikes Back or 1983’s Return of the Jedi. “I just jumped right in.”
For the Batman actor, it was getting the opportunity to work with director/writer/producer J.J. Abrams again that convinced him to return to space. “I just have a lot of admiration for the young man,” he explained. “When I worked with George [Lucas], there was an opportunity to work with somebody extraordinary, and here again, I have the chance to work with somebody who is remarkable. We worked together on Lost — I played myself playing a killer — which I thought was a very interesting idea. I thought, ‘This guy is crazy — famously crazy.’ This has been a great pleasure for me coming back to do Lando. I didn’t believe that it would happen, I just wrote it off. I said, ‘I did what I had to do, and that was it.’ But, when I got the call from J.J. and even when we met, I just sat there, and I just chuckled because I thought this was a gift, so I’m a very happy human being right now.”
Though Williams is one of the original actors from the Star Wars franchise — he still didn’t know exactly what he was getting into when he signed on for The Rise of Skywalker. However, seeing the set put him right back into Lando’s mindset. “I just thought, ‘Great, this is wonderful,'” he revealed. “You go, and you see what your environment is, and you try to figure out ways to become very much a part of that environment based on what the director and writer are looking for. I don’t think of anybody else playing Lando Calrissian, but me in this movie.”
Williams was more than happy to take back the reins of the character to close this chapter of the saga. However, he did very much enjoy Donald Glover’s take on Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story. “He did an incredible job,” the Brian’s Song actor reflected. “He’s a brilliant kid — particularly the stuff he does musically. He did a nice job with it. I told him to be charming, and he was charming.”
Forty years ago — Williams thrust open the door for actors like John Boyega, Lupita Nyong’o, and franchise newcomer, Naomi Ackie, to come aboard Star Wars. However, the veteran actor doesn’t like to sit in the weight of that responsibility. “I just don’t spend a lot of time thinking about that stuff,” he explained. “I focus on Billy Dee Williams and what Billy Dee Williams is doing.” Still, the legacy that he helped build, as well as his friendships with the late Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, and Harrison Ford have helped define Williams’ life and career. “It’s been great,” he said, “We’d always run into each other throughout the years —Harrison, Mark, and I, especially when Carrie was alive, it’s been brilliant.”
Though he doesn’t follow the film business as much as he did in the past — Williams wouldn’t say no to returning to Lando in the future if the opportunity presented itself. “I think it’s great,” he said of this new generation of Star Wars films. “I’m not one of those people who follows what goes on in movies — not anymore like I used to years ago when I started in this business. I just go home and I paint and read, watch television and go to lunch. But whatever Walt Disney wants to do, it’s fine with me. If the money is right, I’d do it again.”
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker premieres December 20, 2019.
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