USA: Harrison Ford and Billy Dee Williams reunite on red carpet for special screening of "The Empire Strikes Back" to mark film's 30th Anniversary

Record ID: 204102

  • Title: USA: Harrison Ford and Billy Dee Williams reunite on red carpet for special screening of "The Empire Strikes Back" to mark film's 30th Anniversary
  • Date: 20th May 2010
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (MAY 19, 2010) (REUTERS) DARTH VADER AND STORM TROOPERS ON THE RED CARPET CLOSE UP OF DARTH VADER VARIOUS OF ACTOR PETER MAYHEW WHO PLAYED CHEWBACCA ACTOR HARRISON FORD SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS HARRISON FORD AND ACTOR BILLY DEE WILLIAMS POSING FOR PHOTOS CUTAWAY OF PHOTOGRAPHERS WILLIAMS, FORD AND MAYHEW WITH ACTOR EWAN MCGREGOR POSI
  • Embargoed: 4th June 2010 13:00
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  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVA8QNX5TZBANIEOWVY3FBT06PZQ
  • Story Text: Harrison Ford and Billy Dee Williams met up on the red carpet Wednesday night (May 19) in Los Angeles to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of "The Empire Strikes Back."
    The special screening took place at the Arclight Cinema in Hollywood and was held to benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
    Released on May 21, 1980, "The Empire Strikes Back" was a sequel to the original "Star Wars" film and expanded the "galaxy far, far away" with a strong story line, a mix of new and returning characters, pioneering special effects and Darth Vader's now legendary climatic revelation.
    For Harrison Ford, the screening was a chance to go back and revisit the film.
    "Well, I will let you know when I see it," answered Ford, when asked why he thought the film had held up so well.
    "I have not seen it for 30 years. I think it is probably because we were able to take advantage of the audiences familiarity with the genre, with the characters and to deepen the relationship with the characters and make a film that was probably more emotional."
    Ford also explained that he initially took the role of Han Solo because he needed the work, never expecting it to become what it is.
    "I was in it for the money," explained Ford. "I was an actor and I was looking for a job and looking for an opportunity. I had a family to feed."
    Actor Billy Dee Williams reminisced about the the experience of working under director George Lucas and the then ground breaking special effects used in the film.
    "It was always like, it was like walking around and being a little kid," said Williams, who played Lando Calrissian in the film. "You were sort of taking it all in. It was fantastic."
    After the screening, Harrison Ford took part in a question and answer session.
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