The role of Han Solo as we know it has been solidified in the halls of history as an iconic film character by the charismatic Harrison Ford.
Ford began the role in the very first Star Wars movie, and he’s since been a part of the franchise down to the very last film, The Rise of Skywalker. So, needless to say, for many people, Harrison Ford is Han Solo. But things could have looked much different if another actor got the role: Christopher Walken.
The 78-year-old actor said this in a recent interview, revealing he was just one of the many, many actors who auditioned to be the rough-necked scoundrel in the 1977 movie. He said in the interview:
“I did audition but I don’t think I came remotely close to getting the job,” he revealed. “About 500 other actors auditioned, so it wasn’t as if it was down to me and somebody else.”
Christopher Walken’s lost Star Wars role
So, as we know, George Lucas would end up going with the small-time actor, Harrison Ford. And it would be a taking-off point for the now 79-year-old’s career. Of course, only a few years later, he starred in his very own action flick franchise, Indiana Jones, which is still going on to this day. And he’s starred in countless other films since then.
We know Walken, of course, was far from having his career devastated after losing out on that role. And, in fact, IMDb lists the actor as having four acting credits in 1977, including an appearance on the popular crime show Kojak. So, naturally, it’s not like he needed Star Wars or anything to propel his career in the first place.
Though, could you imagine Walken and his famous voice as the pilot of the Millenium Falcon? “Neva… tell me. The odds.”; “I… got a really bad feelin’ about this.”; “Chewie. We’re… home.”
This all reminds me of the Walken family reunion sketch from Saturday Night Live a few years ago. Oh, what we missed out on. Here’s a link to the video below, just for laughs.
Do you think Christopher Walken would have made a great Han Solo? Let us know in the comments.