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Home , Adam Driver, John Boyega

THE FORCE AWAKENS

our character When was your first, “Oh my starts evil, but God, I’m in ’ moment? seems drawn to There were various moments. Y the good side, like When I met Harrison Ford and we a reverse of what were doing hand-to-hand combat happens to Anakin. training, and he walked in to watch Yeah, I was excited to explore that. the training, I thought, “Wow, this is And [explore] the inside of a real. They’ve brought in Mr Han , as we’ve never Solo. He’s in , ready to been able to go into the topic of shoot.” And when we had dinner individuality – we’ve just seen them together, we were all having as this one unit, big and faceless, conversations with each other with no identity. So to have the first saying we couldn’t believe it was official Stormtrooper remove his IS THE FIRST real. This is real. And walking to and helmet and reveal who he is, that’s STORMTROOPER WE GET from my trailer was a moment something big for me. Yes, [his TO KNOW BEHIND THE MASK when I thought I just felt like I’m situation] is an opposite of Anakin, part of something huge. I’ve got but it’s also totally, totally different. Are you finding how in-demand these secrecy cloaks to cover my So it’s been great. you are a bit weird? costume, and I’m right in the I don’t find it weird at all. It’s part of What’s it like wearing middle of it, and it feels fantastic. the package of the whole Star the armour? I’ve always looked from the Wars thing. It’s been fantastic. I’ve It’s hot. You haven’t worn it before? outside in, so it feels good to be had a good time, like a genuinely You need to try it. You can borrow inside now. FINN BEGINS ON good time throughout this whole mine. It’s restrictive, but it does THE DARK SIDE process. And there are changes, What advice did you get from make you look pretty cool. it’s a transition, but it still feels right. the Star Wars veterans? Do you remember the moment “I TURNED IT ON It feels good. They told stories about their you first held your lightsaber? experiences, and from that you AND SAID, ‘COME Are you still going to be able to It was cool! It was during definitely draw some advice. ON, , do smaller films? training with Adam [Driver], And it’s just fun talking to the For sure. I just finished The Circle and they decided that we LET’S DO THIS! old generation and seeing the with and Emma would advance from sticks to LET’S DANCE’” differences between having a Watson. That’s an indie I’ve done in using the actual thing. When movie released in 1977 and then and how stiff it felt. I wasn’t looking between press and Star Wars VIII, I got it, and turned it on, I said, having a Star Wars movie released for the looseness and character – and it was a tricky situation in “Come on, Kylo Ren, let’s do this! in 2015 in the era of social media. I was a kid. I was looking for terms of scheduling and in terms Let’s dance.” Portable media outlets, in the form explosions. Spaceships. And the of time. But I did it because it’s of civilians with phones. You must have made the noise. prequels gave me that as a child. important to me to tell different Oh yeah, but you have to do it They did good business, and stories. And I wanted to get out of Was there a moment where subtly, or the shot looks weird. there’s a lot of people who still space and, you know, walk around it just became a job? watch them. You know, it’s your without floating all the time. So You’re always excited, but of What was it like training choice of what you think is good yeah, I’ll definitely make time for course it is a job. And you’ve with Adam? for you. It’s like the Force – them, for sure. got to look at it that way so you It’s quite cool – you do the combat, it’s your choice. can concentrate on the subject and then you stop and chat, like, matter. Thinking about the legacy “Oh hey, how’s your day? Great!” How do you feel of Star Wars, it’s important that you Adam was taking it more seriously about Jar Jar Binks? think it’s just a job. Because Finn than me. I think everybody is taking Who’s that? [Does doesn’t know he’s in the biggest Star Wars superfan John Boyega this whole thing more seriously flawless Jar Jar Binks movie of all time. You’ve got than me. I’m here representing the voice] Mesa no likey talks embracing his dork side to stay in the moment, and fans, I’m doing exactly what they Jar Jar! stay in the truth of your as reformed Stormtrooper Finn would do. I’m geeking out, running Did you buy your character. Collaborate around and having way more own action figure? with your director. Do fun than everyone else because Absolutely not, I got sent all the things you’d do I’ve just loved this since I was a one for free. I went into as an actor at work. little kid. the Disney store and Those things help I heard you’re also a huge fan there was a display full you achieve the of the prequels… of Finns. magic. And now “I REPRESENT I watched them as a kid, and the movie’s ready Can you use it as ID if I enjoyed them, when I was a kid... to be released, we you lose your passport? [laughs]. I actually did like the WITH DAISY can enjoy the surreal I think I might have to try RIDLEY AS , ending of Revenge Of The Sith, energy of it all. It’s better to do that. AND BB-8 how it joined into the originals, that way. and I think the main reason for that Do you have them all? Did you ‘borrow’ any props was the score. We hadn’t heard I do. Damn right I do. from the set? THE FANS” the classic Skywalker theme and it Have you seen the official No, but I’m going to make a was nice having that. Finn Lego? list of everything I want: the What did you like about them? I am Lego! But I don’t have Finn jacket, the Stormtrooper A lot of people say they had an that yet. I’m going to go to helmet, the gloves, a blaster. issue with it, but they always say The Disney Store today and Maybe the lightsaber

PHOTOGRAPHS: MITCHELL NGUYEN MCCORMACK/CORBIS OUTLINE, DISNEY MCCORMACK/CORBIS NGUYEN MITCHELL PHOTOGRAPHS: they had an issue with characters pick it up. hilt would be good, too.

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scar Isaac feels like But when it came to shooting he’s been hit by dogfight sequences, Isaac had to “I FELT a truck. But he’s figure that out for himself. LIKE I WAS O not describing the “All the stuff in the cockpit is ON ANOTHER brutal training challenging,” he says, “because PLANET” regime for his upcoming role in The you feel a bit ridiculous making LUPITA NYONG’O Force Awakens, nor is he regaling stuff up to react to. [The directions] ON PLAYING THE ShortList with a particularly grisly were “Yeah, just fly around and MOTION-CAPTURED on-set anecdote. No, his full-body shoot stuff, maybe say something”, PIRATE bludgeoning is the reaction he felt and I thought, “Riiiight.” It was a when he saw the new film for the little tough, and a little humiliating. Your character is one of first time. But you see it put together and it the most mysterious – how

“Just processing the whole ISAAC WITH works. It’s about trust.” did you approach it? thing,” he says quietly. “Watching DROID BB-8 It’s hard to imagine Isaac I was very fortunate to be it was like being brain-hacked by covered ‘firing imaginary lasers’ part of the development of JJ Abrams. Things from my As a hardcore Star Wars fan, in his thespian training. Like Adam Maz, so by the time I got childhood, things about my future. this ended up being kind of a Driver, he trained at The Juilliard the role they had already It’s intense.” big deal. But Isaac comes from School in New York, which is been doing a lot of Isaac, who plays smooth- a long line of Star Wars fanatics – renowned for having one of the exploration as to what she talking resistance fighter Poe his uncle, brother and cousin most prestigious arts programmes would look like. Dameron, remains conveniently are all huge fans – and when he in the world. Did give you silent when asked about the plot. HIS TRUSTY X-WING arranged for his uncle to visit the The two enjoyed working any pointers on acting But he describes his wisecracking Pinewood set during filming, JJ together on The Force Awakens, with CGI? character as “the guy you’d want in Abrams made him a once-in-a- too. Footage in the trailer shows a He was so generous with the trenches with you”, which is “THOSE lifetime offer and asked if he would particularly bruised-looking Isaac his time. He said, “You handy as, much like last time, the DOGFIGHTS like to appear in the film as an extra being dragged down a dark and have to be even more start of this trilogy sees the galaxy CREATE A SENSE (naturally, Isaac can’t tell us what ominous corridor, leading many to aware of yourself and plunged into war. his part involves). assume he may get captured by OF INVINCIBILITY who you are.” When I saw That sense of chaos across the sinister First Order, a group AND SWAGGER” Maz I was moved – by the Galactic Empire affects the THE MIND who have come together since everything I saw. actors, too. Isaac may have more man,” Isaac replies. “He’s cutting OF A FIGHTER the fall of ’s Empire in big-screen experience than his own path.” To get into Poe’s head, Isaac read Return Of The . Can you remember your newcomers and John If his character sounds like What It’s Like To Go To War by Karl “It was good to be with him first day on set? Boyega, but he’s largely known for anyone, it’s Isaac himself. In person Marlantes, a book exploring the again,” he says of Driver. “Our It was incredible. It was his indie-film leanings, from A Most he is warm and engaging, pacing mentality of fighter pilots, in order first day on set was with our huge, I felt like I was on Violent Year to playing the titular around the room instead of sitting to understand the process of scene together.” another planet, like I was character in . down because he’s getting slightly people involved in the fighting. He pauses. After a string of indie in the Star Wars universe. restless. He talks in slow, “[It] talks about the emotional “Er, with a scene together. That That was humbling. A NEW WORLD considered tones, pausing often aspects of the job, and entering was nice, we were both equally hits, has How would your younger His new role as a Disney-approved to think, before springing up and a ‘spiritual domain’ – a lot of soldiers a bit nervous, so we could talk to a CV to die for. But he’s self feel knowing you bona-fide action hero, then, must walking somewhere else. aren’t trained to understand what each other, joke to each other. would grow up to be part be slightly daunting, not least It’s hard to verify what he’s you’re dealing with in that kind of “He’s really, really great in this about to become a of this universe? because he’s on the verge of being saying, though, thanks to the world. And I thought that movie,” he says, looking slightly whole new leading man I think my younger self one of the most in-demand actors intense hush-hush surrounding connected so beautifully to this, awe-struck thinking of Driver’s would believe it. My in the business. any and all details concerning because, at the core of Star Wars performance as Kylo Ren. younger self was open “I don’t really think about that The Force Awakens. When is this spiritual aspect of light and “It was very cool, because to that kind of thinking so much,” he admits. “Because... ShortList travelled to Los Angeles dark, and this ‘thing’ that connects [our working relationship] was so because of Star Wars. This what’s the point? You don’t know to meet the cast for this issue’s us all – the Force. different,” he says. “In Llewyn Davis universe really opens how things will go. I’m someone colossal celebration of the massive “I read about what you have I was the mean one and he was the up the imagination. who likes privacy and anonymity, franchise, fans, journalists and to do up there, thousands of feet nice one, and now we’ve switched “SEEING and so I just make choices that try insiders alike were swapping in the air at incredible speeds, roles. It was like revenge for him.” to preserve some of that.” rumours, tidbits and hearsay in an and all the other things that As the (self-professed) attempt to try to piece together are going on in your mind,” he THE NEXT EPISODE “Greatest Pilot In The Entire what happens in the new film. recalls. “How those dogfights Filming for Star Wars: Episode VIII Galaxy”, has drawn Filming for The Force Awakens create a sense of invincibility, will begin in the new year, comparisons with due took many of the cast to far-flung and swagger, and confidence. according to producer Kathleen to his one-liners, old-school corners of the world, from Iceland You’re able to do things that Kennedy. Whether Isaac is involved THE FILM charm and unflappable to Abu Dhabi, as remote nobody else can do.” or not remains a mystery. First, he’ll demeanour. But Isaac isn’t landscapes and lush forests were Even though his X-Wing doesn’t need to survive The Force Awakens. having any of it. transformed into striking actually, you know, fly or fire lasers, “Mmhmm,” he says, when asked “[People say that] planets and jaw-dropping continuity in the Star Wars universe about his schedule for January. because they lack homeworlds. But as meant that Isaac had certain Is that a yes? imagination,” he for Isaac, he stayed protocol to follow when he finally “I’m going to get up again,” says dryly. at the slightly less sat in his vehicle. he says, before pacing the room. WAS… Ah. So Poe is exotic Pinewood “I arrived on set and they had Star Wars fans might be finding PA DISNEY, GETTY IMAGES, BY SHORE/CONTOUR DOVE PHOTOGRAPHS: more of a Luke Studios, where this blueprint in my trailer showing the wait to know more Skywalker kind much of his filming the cockpit layout,” he says. “And excruciating, but they’ve got of guy? involved sitting they actually had an ignition nothing on Oscar Isaac. “He’s like Poe in the cockpit of sequence, showing what buttons Dameron, man! his very own I needed to press to get it started. The Force Awakens is at He’s his own X-Wing. It was very specific.” cinemas nationwide now INTENSE”

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