{"id":11200,"date":"2019-12-17T11:11:33","date_gmt":"2019-12-17T19:11:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/?p=11200"},"modified":"2019-12-23T17:16:14","modified_gmt":"2019-12-24T01:16:14","slug":"the-best-moments-from-the-star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-press-conference","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atomtickets.com\/movie-news\/star-wars-rise-of-skywalker-press-conference\/","title":{"rendered":"The Best Moments From The ‘Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker’ Press Conference"},"content":{"rendered":"

42 years, 9 films, 7.7 billion dollars (soon to be much higher): the Star Wars Skywalker Saga comes to an end on December 20th with the release of Star Wars:<\/em>\u00a0<\/a>The Rise of Skywalker. <\/em>After Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012, the Star Wars franchise has been more prolific than ever. From Star Wars Funko POP figures to Star Wars-branded watches, tee shirts, mobile phone cases, and even a real rolling D-O droid, the space opera has found its way into our hearts in every way. With that amount of pressure, the task of landing the Star Destroyer-sized franchise through its closing act and satisfying millions of fans is no easy feat.<\/p>\n

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We had the opportunity to join the cast, writers, and director of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker <\/em>in LA for the global press conference earlier this month and learn how they felt about being a part of the beloved series. While there wasn\u2019t much in the way of news or updates about the actual movie itself (Disney is keeping spoilers under lock and key), here are some of the best moments from the press conference.<\/p>\n

The Cast Wanted The Film To Honor Carrie Fisher\u2019s Legacy<\/h2>\n

After Fisher\u2019s untimely passing in 2016, Abrams had to scrap his initial plans and rethink how to honor Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa. Ultimately, a lightbulb went off and he came up with the idea to repurpose unused footage from\u00a0The Force Awakens <\/em><\/a>for The Rise of Skywalker <\/em>to include Leia. From the trailers, it\u2019s sure to be an emotional addition to the film. Knowing what an impactful part of Fisher\u2019s life Star Wars was, the cast wanted to nail the film to honor Carrie Fisher\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n

Daisy\u00a0Ridley On Whether The Physical Or Emotional Scenes Were More Challenging To Film<\/h2>\n

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\u201cBoth things were hard!\u201d joked the Rey actor. After a moment\u2019s reflection: \u201cThe emotional scenes. With the physical stuff you train and train and then the adrenaline helps you on the day to do the thing, but I was more tired emotionally.\u201d On taking direction from Abrams during filming, Ridley responded, \u201cI know what [JJ Abrams] was asking, I just [sometimes couldn\u2019t] quite get there yet, so [sustaining that emotion] was the most tricky.\u201d<\/p>\n

If the two trailers and numerous TV spots are anything to go by, Ridley most certainly got into the emotional headspace and nailed the take for the film. I\u2019m excited to see the dark places Rey\u2019s journey with the Force takes her in TROS. <\/em>For the more lighthearted scenes, Ridley revealed that filming was so natural she would think to herself, Am I even acting?<\/em>\u00a0\u201cIt was so easy to flow into it, I was just bouncing off of Joonas, John, Oscar, and Anthony in such a joyous way you just feel like you\u2019re having a chat with your pals.\u201d<\/p>\n

Joonas Suotamo Reveals Why Chewie Is So Endearing To Fans<\/h2>\n

Before answering, the 6\u2032 11\u2033 Finnish actor let out a loud groan in Shyriiwook, the native language of the Wookies. And, yes, he can actually do it astoundingly well in person. \u201cWhy do we love him? For that, we have to go back to 1977 when George Lucas found Peter Mayhew to play [Chewie]. Chewbacca\u2019s endurance has to do with Peter\u2019s unique physicality. He doesn\u2019t move quite like a human.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chewbacca adds to the playfulness of Star Wars. He\u2019s a walking teddy bear, what\u2019s not to love?<\/p>\n

Oscar Isaac Reveals How Poe Dameron Has Changed Since TLJ<\/h2>\n

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Oscar Isaac wanted to explore Poe\u2019s experiences outside an X-Wing cockpit. \u201cHe\u2019s always been a bit of a wild-card energy,\u201d says Isaac, \u201cWith this one, J.J. and I talked and [were] excited about kind of dirtying up the squeaky fly boy image that he\u2019s had and revealing a bit more of his personality. And that really comes out because he\u2019s been taken away from his box in space. You get to see the hope and the relentless, almost aggressive optimism he has, and how [it] is tested.\u201d<\/p>\n

John Boyega Views Finn As A Star Wars \u201cJesus\u201d<\/h2>\n

\u201cHis loyalty!\u201d answers Boyega when asked what quality of Finn\u2019s he admires most. \u201cLoyalty is something I find very, very important in my personal life. I think it\u2019s super important to be loyal and to understand the way in which people want to be loved and communicated with. This proactive love is something Finn does on a day-to-day basis.\u201d John likens Finn to that one friend who lovingly calls to check in on you, even when you haven\u2019t answered or responded in a while. While he admits he is quite different from Finn in person, he loves that Finn demonstrates a proactive love. \u201cFinn is Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keri Russell Loved Wearing Zorri Bliss\u2019 Helmet<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a real power play,\u201d laughed Russell, \u201cIt\u2019s my fantasy dream sequence that I can see everyone, in this super-tough costume, and no one can see me.\u201d Abrams shared that she loved wearing it so much, he didn\u2019t see Russell\u2019s face on set for the entire two days of filming.<\/p>\n

Billy Dee Williams Stepped Back Into Playing Lando Calrissian Like He Never Left<\/h2>\n

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You just don\u2019t lose that type of swagger. Billy Dee Williams got emotional on stage and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to return to the character after 36 years. \u201c[Being a part of The Rise of Skywalker<\/em>] has been a great pleasure for me. I didn\u2019t think that it would happen. When I got the call from J.J., I just chuckled. What a wonderful gift. I\u2019m a very happy human being right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

His last appearance was in 1983\u2019s Return of the Jedi.\u00a0<\/em>Donald Glover portrayed a younger version of Lando Calrissian in last year’s Solo: A Star Wars Story<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Oscar Isaac & John Boyega Address Their On\/Off Screen Bromance<\/h2>\n

\u201cStormpilot\u201d (also known as FinnPoe or Space Boyfriends), as it’s affectionally named, is the ship name the Star Wars fandom has given to the bromance between Finn and Poe \u2013 and Isaac and Boyega love it. If you\u2019re wondering why they have so much chemistry on-screen, it\u2019s because the two actors genuinely love each other.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just like the guy!\u201d said Boyega. Oscar Isaac laughed and responded that they’ve been close since his audition: \u201cWe just got in the dressing room like butt-to-butt and ran the scene together, and from then on we\u2019ve been in that position.\u201d The butt-to-butt scene he\u2019s referencing is, of course, the TIE fighter scene in the opening act of The Force Awakens <\/em>where Poe and Finn escape from the clutches of the First Order.<\/p>\n

J.J. Abrams Reveals What Star Wars Ultimately Means To Him<\/h2>\n

\u201cWe live in a crazy world. We live in a crazy time. Star Wars, for me, was about hope. It was about community, the underdog, and bringing people together and seeing all oddballs represented. The most unlikely friends you meet in the most unlikely places and the family you make, is really your family\u2026 The thing that matters most and only in the film is the heart of the characters. It\u2019s about hope and coming back to a sense of possibility and unity.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I\u2019m not crying, you\u2019re<\/em> crying.<\/p>\n

Daisy Ridley Shared The Legacy She Hopes To Leave Behind After Star Wars<\/h2>\n