Out of the exclusive interviews scheduled during the Han Solo Event, our Woody Harrelson interview was the one that intrigued me the most. Woody, who’s known as a jovial, laid back kind of celebrity, is also known for taking his interviews to another level. Well, we weren’t disappointed. Woody plays Beckett in SOLO: A Star Wars Story, a scoundrel we’re meant to love. In this exclusive interview with Woody Harrelson, we sat down with him to talk all things Star Wars, leaving a legacy, and the power of gratitude.
He Passed On SOLO
Fun fact: Woody initially passed on the role of Beckett in SOLO: A Star Wars Story. He has been working non-stop on films, whether it’s been acting or directing, and his family was ready for him to stay home. But, Producer Allison Sheamur, who passed away shortly after filming, convinced Woody to take on the role.
“Producer Ali Sheamur, who’s an incredible lady who unfortunately passed shortly after we finished shooting, would not take no for an answer the first time and luckily, she didn’t take no the second time.”
A Tough Love Mentor
In SOLO: A Star Wars Story, Beckett is seen as a mentor to Han, one that provides lots of lessons surrounded by tough love. When asked who Woody’s tough love mentors are, he surprisingly named one actor who is a legend in Hollywood.
“I feel like to some degree, Jack Nicholson. He lives not far from where I have a place here in LA, even though I live in Maui, but the kids didn’t want to give it up. So, I still have it, and it’s not far from Jack’s; and I would go over quite a bit to his place. He’s given a lot of cool advice.”
The Power Of Gratitude
If you’ve ever seen photos or videos of Woody, you know that he always has a look of happy satisfaction. His smile speaks so loudly to everyone, and we wanted to know what the secret was behind his consistently jovial demeanor.
“I do feel like a pretty genuinely happy person. And I think part of it, a big part of it is just gratitude. I’m very grateful for the life I have. I feel like all of us who do movies, and probably all of you who write about movies, we’re breathing a bit of a rarified air.
And I feel really lucky because there was a point in which I kind of gave up, and it was early on. I hadn’t even gotten a job yet and I just was like, ‘I think I can’t do it. And I don’t know how to crack it.'”
Woody says gratitude kept him going, and pushed him toward his dreams.
Leaving A Legacy
When asked what kind of legacy Woody would like to leave through his work on and off-screen, he admitted that it was a difficult question to answer. But, he agreed that laughter would be the best legacy to leave.
“Well, I hope just generally, it’s a smiling type of legacy instead of a frowning type. I do prefer comedy, and I’ve gotten into a little bit of a drama bubble. I would like to make people laugh ,and hopefully, they’ll think of me and laugh.”
There was so much more to this interview, including how Woody started his vegan journey, but I will continue that fascinating conversation in another post soon. Be sure to visit the blog in a few days to see how Woody’s words about being a vegan will impact my summer (and the challenge I plan to rock).
If you missed it, here is my SOLO: A Star Wars Story review, from a parent’s perspective.
SOLO: A Star Wars Story is in theaters NOW!
