Why Harrison Ford Rejected Part of the Original 'Star Wars' Script
Corbis via Getty Images
Harrison Ford delivered one of the most iconic lines in movie history in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. But what many don't know is his line wasn't in the original script.
The 83-year-old actor recently revealed Han Solo’s dry "I know" wasn't just the character being charming. It was Ford making a point.
In a new interview with Variety, the legendary actor spoke about the scene where Leia (Carrie Fisher) finally confesses her love for Han, just before he’s frozen in carbonite. The original script called for Ford to reply, "I love you too." But the Shrinking actor flat-out refused.
"It just didn’t feel right," Ford recalled. "It didn’t feel like Han Solo."
Instead of going with what was written, Ford offered up something fresh. A response that was short, cocky, and kind of heartbreakingly perfect, especially for the character.
Ford explained his logic further in the interview: "This is a guy who doesn’t give it up easy. He’s about to be put in a deep freeze. He doesn’t want to get sentimental. He wants to say what he means without getting soft."
The now-famous "I know" was improvised on the spot and instantly became one of the franchise’s most quoted lines.
Sure, it was a risk. But Star Wars creator George Lucas, 81, ultimately went with Ford’s gut instinct. And the rest is cinematic history.
Ford’s script alteration to give Han that signature hardened edge isn’t surprising. He has done it before with a long track record of pushing back when he feels a character is veering off course.
Regardless, Star Wars fans love the line, and it remains a perfect encapsulation of why they love Han Solo so much in the first place.