foreword

I want to talk about Anthony (as does Anthony). But I need to give this some context. Let’s start with the obvious. There’s magic in Star Wars. In all of it. From the design of the logo — those outlined letters against the stylized star field — to its aesthetic, production design and delicious combination of Flash Gordon space adventure and Kurosawa samurai high drama.

There’s magic in its enhanced real-life locations, gorgeously unique props and ships, sound effects and, of course, its breathtaking, instantly-classic musical score. But would we be considering — or continuing — a story that began nearly half a century ago if, at the heart of it all, there wasn’t such a powerful sense of humanity? Surely even the genius of the lightsaber and the growl of a Wookiee would have been long forgotten if George Lucas hadn’t focused so ingeniously on the souls of the main characters. It was their desires and desperation, their fears and revelations, their love and loyalty that made Star Wars a saga for the ages.

The most potent aspect of Star Wars is evident from the opening minute of the first film. After announcing that it’s a once upon a time fable, after the blast of unforgettably powerful music, after the thrilling crawl gives us its pulpy context, and after the awe-inspiring Star Destroyer passes us overhead and the small Blockade Runner is revealed, we cut inside to see members of the Rebellion, rocked by the attack. But what happens next is what’s most important. We fall in love.

Nearly the instant we meet stalwart droids C-3PO and R2-D2, we laugh. They become our way into a galaxy we’re so desperate to be part of. Their fear, their bickering, their frantic need to survive is what grabs us by the heart and allows us to be mesmerized, to be taken on the cinematic adventure of a lifetime. Despite all the wondrous spectacle and artistry, the characters themselves are the glue that keeps Star Wars together and us stuck to it. Among them all, only two characters have appeared in all nine saga stories. Those two droids I first met when I was ten years old.

While I suspected that bringing Threepio to life was harder than it looked, experiencing it first-hand gave me an instant, newfound respect for the man with the golden eyes. It turns out that being inside that sensory deprivation tank of a costume is a challenge at best.

Moving, hearing and seeing is only part of the problem, as the actor playing Threepio needs to constantly interact with numerous other performers in a scene with deft, seemingly effortless comedic timing. That actor is, of course, Mr. Anthony Daniels. A gloriously witty, keen and spirited man who may be the least-recognizable superstar on the planet. When I first called Anthony about appearing in The Force Awakens, I asked if he was willing and able to return as everyone’s favorite humanoid droid. His enthusiasm to do so was heartening. But — and I’ll put it bluntly — would he be able to fit in the suit? When I met Anthony and saw that he was in better shape than I will ever be, I was enormously relieved — as was he that a new, more comfortable suit was going to be fabricated by costume designer Michael Kaplan and his team.

In The Force Awakens — where Threepio remained mostly within the Resistance base — perhaps Anthony’s biggest challenge was the red arm (I gave Threepio a new limb to demonstrate that the character had gone through some dangerous adventures since we’d last seen him. Anthony hated it. Hated. Like... hated. As you will see). In The Rise of Skywalker, however, Threepio is out on the wild journey with the others. That means ships and speeders, deserts and snowy villages, climbing, crashing, and encounters with some terrifying creatures. With this, the challenges for Anthony rose exponentially. But every time they would remove his mask (wearing the suit, he is unable to do that himself — just think about that), there was Anthony, his face sweaty and smiling. Much like the droid he so beautifully, artfully portrays, Anthony wanted to be out on the adventure again, too.

The cast and crew of these recent films were well aware of the stakes involved in creating a third trilogy. How important it was to do well by the legions of Star Wars fans, continuing and concluding George’s remarkable tale. As surreal as it still feels to know that I’ve directed two Star Wars films, I could not begin to imagine what it was like to have been there before, again and again and again, for all of the Skywalker saga. At least I couldn’t until I read this insightful, delightful book.

The stories you’ll find in the following pages come from one of the most unique perspectives on Star Wars that could possibly exist. It is ironic that, despite Mr. Daniels’ limited field of vision (peering through those two slit and lit holes is the visual equivalent of breathing through a straw), this book takes a remarkably wide and deep view of the film series. Why is it that we fall in love with Threepio the moment we meet him? My humbling experience on these films has given me the answer: It’s because there’s a man inside. A most excellent man, who — I’m happy to say — you’re about to meet yourself.