News Alec Guinness (old Obiwan) hated his role in Star Wars? (1 Viewer)

[blueberries]

Source: Star Wars: Why Alec Guinness Hated Working On A New Hope

Sir Alec Guinness hated being remembered as ''Star Wars''' Jedi Knight

The role of a lifetime made the actor rich -- and rueful, says Ty Burr

ew.com

I recently noticed this on news, though it's already older information. Alec Guinness played Obiwan in the movie New Hope, so in the first film. Apparently one of his major complaints about film was Lucases dialogue, which he thought was "rubbish" (and he wasn't only one who had issues with it), another that the shootings were tedious. He didn't rly get along with the cast either, based on his letter. Regardless of the disdain, he did get academy nomination over his role.

However, he wasn't satisfied even after the movie. He didn't want to be remembered for this role, as he already had done many others and that would be the role most plp remembered him for. He also didn't it want to become defining movie for the time. He even returned the fanmail and refused to sign autographs due to disliking the cult following the show- and now he- had gotten:

"In one particularly fiendish — and, okay, extremely funny — incident (related in the last of his three autobiographies), Guinness was approached by a young boy who begged for his autograph, claiming to have seen ”Star Wars” countless times. Sir Alec agreed, on one condition — that the boy never, ever watch the film again. The kid burst into tears, the kid’s mother called Guinness a nasty man, and one clearly envisions the actor leaving the encounter with a quietly satisfied smile playing about his lips. "

I guess it's safe to say- he wasn't fan of Star Wars. But i guess despite no matter what he wanted, his name will live with the series. But tbh- it's better to just embrace what u have been part of, or at least try your hardest to xd

 

[blueberries]

Spoiler

Zabrak taglist: @Darth_17 @Darth_Bitzy @Darth_Lixo @Darth_Ozy @Darth_berries @maruberry

 

[eclipsoul]

i feel really bad for that kid tbh

 

[Michael]

If I am not wrongly reminding; Alec Guinness was on his route to retiring from a long career that included some acclaimed movies he was proud of. He accepted the role from a small movie to retire. He wasn't counting on the huge success that small movie would have; he was expecting that movie go largely unnoticed.

 

[Darkyoda47]

Damn that's a little extra

 

[Darkseid]

Ngl, that encounter with the kid had me laughing
It's something I'd do so

I can see why he felt that way. For all the hype and grandeur we associate with Star Wars now, it began essentially as a small budget movie where they had to use many filmmaking tricks to work around the limited expenses and make the movie look a lot bigger than it actually was. Idk if anyone was expecting it to be the cultural phenomenon it turned out to be.

 

[Michael]

Ngl, that encounter with the kid had me laughing
It's something I'd do so

I can see why he felt that way. For all the hype and grandeur we associate with Star Wars now, it began essentially as a small budget movie where they had to use many filmmaking tricks to work around the limited expenses and make the movie look a lot bigger than it actually was. Idk if anyone was expecting it to be the cultural phenomenon it turned out to be.

Lucas himself was expecting it to fail.

 

[Darkseid]

Lucas himself was expecting it to fail.

Yeah tbh looking back at the type of movies that were being made then, it was quite the risk. Thankfully it paid off big time lol.

 

[blueberries]

i feel really bad for that kid tbh

I felt little bad too, kids get so into stuff... well adults do sometimes too xd

 

[blueberries]

If I am not wrongly reminding; Alec Guinness was on his route to retiring from a long career that included some acclaimed movies he was proud of. He accepted the role from a small movie to retire. He wasn't counting on the huge success that small movie would have; he was expecting that movie go largely unnoticed.

Yep that seems to be the case. He shouldn't have picked one he didn't like though.. he kinda got creedy accepting it after getting promised lot more money for the role and then ended up doing sth he hated..

 

[blueberries]

Ngl, that encounter with the kid had me laughing
It's something I'd do so

I can see why he felt that way. For all the hype and grandeur we associate with Star Wars now, it began essentially as a small budget movie where they had to use many filmmaking tricks to work around the limited expenses and make the movie look a lot bigger than it actually was. Idk if anyone was expecting it to be the cultural phenomenon it turned out to be.

It was such Sith move

 

[blueberries]

Yeah tbh looking back at the type of movies that were being made then, it was quite the risk. Thankfully it paid off big time lol.

Sometimes it's the ones who nobody expects..

 

[Darkseid]

It was such Sith move

yeah it’s like staying in character and being a dick only he was actually a dick

 

[blueberries]

yeah it’s like staying in character and being a dick only he was actually a dick

Expect Obiwan was never a Sith?

 

[LoveYooShaSha]

If I am not wrongly reminding; Alec Guinness was on his route to retiring from a long career that included some acclaimed movies he was proud of. He accepted the role from a small movie to retire. He wasn't counting on the huge success that small movie would have; he was expecting that movie go largely unnoticed.

If he thot it was gonna flop, he(or his agent) wouldnt hv negotiated for gross points in the film, (unless it was just standard contract)- n got mucho rich from tat clause n the movie success.
He was highly acclaimed actor who also acted in films like Bridge on the River Kwai but he could hv declined the role in Star Wars, like Sean Connery did Gandalf in Lord of the Rings.
I acknowledge his attitude but his job in Star Wars made him rich as no other of his movie acting did. If he hated it so much he wouldnt hv taken part in Empire n Jedi. I believe he hated the job n the movies altho i dont remember if he ever watched them. He also was crucial in getting his character killed midway thru the movie IIRC.
Also if he hadnt acted in Star Wars then, he'd probably be less well remembered than Richard Burton or Marlon Brando today, so there's that. Fame cuts two ways Sir Alec, (idk if the fact he dint act opposite Peter Cushing in Star Wars was contributory to his low opinion/hate of it, think they were long time colleagues/fellow cast mates in a few films-so may hv helped if he acted together in some scenes but nope Lucas hired 2 powerhouses of acting then n never got them together, huh?)
Wat a visionary director, tat Lucas.

 

[blueberries]

If he thot it was gonna flop, he(or his agent) wouldnt hv negotiated for gross points in the film, (unless it was just standard contract)- n got mucho rich from tat clause n the movie success.
He was highly acclaimed actor who also acted in films like Bridge on the River Kwai but he could hv declined the role in Star Wars, like Sean Connery did Gandalf in Lord of the Rings.
I acknowledge his attitude but his job in Star Wars made him rich as no other of his movie acting did. If he hated it so much he wouldnt hv taken part in Empire n Jedi. I believe he hated the job n the movies altho i dont remember if he ever watched them. He also was crucial in getting his character killed midway thru the movie IIRC.
Also if he hadnt acted in Star Wars then, he'd probably be less well remembered than Richard Burton or Marlon Brando today, so there's that. Fame cuts two ways Sir Alec, (idk if the fact he dint act opposite Peter Cushing in Star Wars was contributory to his low opinion/hate of it, think they were long time colleagues/fellow cast mates in a few films-so may hv helped if he acted together in some scenes but nope Lucas hired 2 powerhouses of acting then n never got them together, huh?)
Wat a visionary director, tat Lucas.

Well, it's just based on his words and letter he wrote

but yea the money must been nice..

 

[LoveYooShaSha]

Expect Obiwan was never a Sith?

Young obiwan was quite dick-ish to young anakin/vader to be tho, right? Maybe Guinness was predicting the future story of Obiwan n acting accordingly.

Well, it's just based on his words and letter he wrote

but yea the money must been nice..

The money was awesome cos he had points of the gross, i think(actors n even directors hv been screwed over points of profits after this, {like peter jackson on lotr n others i cant remember now; but maybe he was exception or examplex the studios wanted to avoid}. Either way he got it good n for those years after star wars he could afford the good life n dgaf.
Maybe tat explains it(his candor abt hating star wars), too rich to care(or keep quiet). I actually admire him for tat.

 

[blueberries]

Young obiwan was quite dick-ish to young anakin/vader to be tho, right? Maybe Guinness was predicting the future story of Obiwan n acting accordingly.


The money was awesome cos he had points of the gross, i think(actors n even directors hv been screwed over points of profits after this, {like peter jackson on lotr n others i cant remember now; but maybe he was exception or examplex the studios wanted to avoid}. Either way he got it good n for those years after star wars he could afford the good life n dgaf.
Maybe tat explains it(his candor abt hating star wars), too rich to care(or keep quiet). I actually admire him for tat.

He was just sassy

yea he got rich af