Obi-Wan Kenobi Star Wanted to Quit Acting After Not Getting Lando Role
In a new interview with O'Shea Jackson Jr., who's set to star in the upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series, he revealed that not landing the role of Lando Calrissian in 2018's Solo: A Star Wars Story nearly drove him to quit acting. Obi-Wan Kenobi is one of the most highly anticipated Star Wars projects on the horizon, with Ewan McGregor returning to play the titular Jedi Master. Taking place 10 years after the events of Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the show will see the return of many familiar Star Wars characters, including Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader.
Jackson's first major role happened in 2015 when he portrayed his father, Ice Cube, in the N.W.A. biopic, Straight Outta Compton. Since then, he's starred in the 2017 drama-comedy Ingrid Goes West, in addition to the Michael B. Jordan-led Just Mercy. More recently, Jackson set his sights towards sci-fi after being cast in Disney+'s Obi Wan Kenobi series. His casting was announced earlier this year, along with Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals), Indira Varma (Game of Thrones), Moses Ingram (The Queen's Gambit), and others. So far, the only characters confirmed to appear in Obi-Wan Kenobi alongside Obi-Wan and Vader are Luke's adoptive aunt and uncle, Beru and Owen Lars (played by Joel Edgerton and Bonnie Piesse), and an Inquisitor played by Sung Kang. Other than that, details surrounding the show have been shrouded in mystery, including Jackson's character.
While speaking with Collider, Jackson opened up about his mystery role in the show, and how a botched audition for Solo left the actor feeling "crushed." A massive Star Wars fan, Jackson auditioned for the role of Lando and was disappointed when the part went to Donald Glover instead of him. Apparently, he was so devastated that he wanted to quit and go "back to being a writer." However, Obi-Wan Kenobi director, Deborah Chow, later contacted the actor, and offered him a role in the show. Jackson's full quote can be read below:
"Yeah. I was watching Star Wars before I came down here right now. I'm a real big Star Wars fan. I had auditioned for Lando for the Solo film, and when I didn't get it, it crushed me. I was like, 'You know what? I quit. I'm going back to being a writer. I'm done.' I was filming Swagger, and my agents were like, "Yo, we need you free in the next two days, noon." I'm like, 'All right.' They're like, 'Just listen. You want to take this meeting.' So I took it and it was Deb, Lord Deb. Shout out to Lord Deb. Deborah Chow. She gave me an opportunity of a lifetime and it's a... God, I can't wait to talk about it so bad. I want to talk about it so bad, but I know Mickey probably still has my phone bugged, and I just love my family."
Jackson and other cast members have kept their lips sealed about the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, with only small details coming to the surface. Production mostly took place in Los Angeles at one of The Volume locations, which boasts high-tech 360-degree virtual sets used for other Star Wars projects like The Mandalorian. Filming wrapped in September, with the first episode expected to arrive sometime in Spring 2022. McGregor is already hyping up the series, having told interviewers at last month's Emmy Awards "I think it will not disappoint." Fans can only hope that Obi-Wan Kenobi lives up to their big expectations, and that the show will give an in-depth exploration of Obi-Wan's troubled psyche as he copes with losing his Jedi Order, his friends, and his former Padawan.
Until Obi-Wan Kenobi premieres in 2022, Star Wars fans still have plenty of upcoming projects to look forward to. The Book of Boba Fett, Ahsoka, and The Mandalorian season 3 are just a few Star Wars series that are slotted to debut within the next few years, in addition to new movies from directors Patty Jenkins and Taika Waititi. It'll certainly be interesting to see who Jackson plays in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and if perhaps, the actor shouldn't be too upset about losing the role of Lando after all.
Source: Collider