I Talked to Boba Fett About the Original 'Star Wars' Trilogy

Boba Fett was a happy fortuity . primitively mean as just one of several bounty hunters inThe Empire Strikes Back , the graphic symbol – design by the legendary concept artist Ralph McQuarrie and storyboarder Joe Johnston , who ’d go on to directThe RocketeerandCaptain America : The First Avenger , after a cartoon version in 1978 ’s notoriousStar war Holiday Special– parlay his stealthy appearance in the 1980 pic to a cardinal and lucrative part of George Lucas ' universe . The prequel trilogy hinge on Fett ’s linage and can be held up as a rare moment of fan - service backfire , but not evenAttack of the Clonescould incision the bounty hunter ’s helmet for good . There ’s just something about that Mandalorian mercenary of few password .

Fans can thank Jeremy Bulloch for that . Now 71 , the British role player inside the wooing continue to make the rounds atStar Warsconventions today to keep the spirit of Boba Fett active . Bulloch is one of a handful of subject profiled in the new documentaryElstree 1976 , which explore the lives of the actors and extras involved with Lucas ' originalStar Warstrilogy . With the movie out in theaters and on demand , we ask Bulloch to speculate on Boba Fett , just in time for " Star WarsDay . " May the quaternary be with you .

What Boba Fett means to him, 36 years later

Not a daytime go by without people emailing say , " We have a convention , Mr. Bulloch , in Glasgow . We ’d like you to do along and pose . " That makes you feel proud . You go , " Oh , they ’re going to choose me ! Oh , that ’s nice . " I retrieve I ’m a very favourable person , in that I was asked to do the part and I go . I always say , " Look , I fit the outfit ! " They did n’t have to start up trim things and sewing thing up . And if they ’re not going to see your face – which I thought was awful , I was hoping I was going to be seen – but as they do n’t see my face , well , it could be anybody , so that ’s fine . I ’m favourable .

But the mask was important

I do n’t think you should ever see his facial expression . You see him as a small fry , but later on , you should n’t really see his facial expression because it ’s that lovely thing , you do n’t know what ’s going to bechance . He keeps move forrad slowly , what ’s going to happen ? And just to keep that sort of tautness is far better .

But could he see through the damn thing?

You could see through , but breathe in it … it started to mist up . I remember counting steps : " one , two , three , four , go to your right wing . " I had to count the steps I had because it ’s not leisurely to walk about , and when you breathe in , it just mists up . And yet you have to adjudicate and bet as cool as potential .

On thatReturn of the Jedinod

I ’m a giggler – when you ’re on stage a bunch , you know , you start to express mirth . But , no , decidedly , just that little nod of the promontory . Serious stuff . Lot of top executive coming through . I think they did it doubly : a thing of [ me ] standing there and just the nod of the head , and then another one , you do it a fiddling bit quicker . And I think that was it . I think there were two takes .

On hisotherEmpire Strikes Backcharacter

George Lucas did n’t manoeuvre me up until I played another fiber . I was Lieutenant Sheckil inTheEmpire smash Back , because there was no one available . " Well , will you do it , Jeremy ? " It was very much a " can we cursorily get you interchange to do this view ? " Then Iplayed Captain Coltonin the [ prequels ] . That was very kind of [ George ] . They holler me up and demand if I would play it . It does n’t upset the plot line or anything like that , it ’s just that we need someone to do this view , and nice that they chose me to do it .

His very first scene…

That was with the bounty hunter . They ’re all standing around , waitress . and put Captain Solo in the cargo hold . That was quite exciting . You feel really good in the turnout . I ’ve just clear , these guys outwear the most ridiculous outfits , but they are space existence , I suppose . But they ’re different . Leave them alone ! Off the top of my headland , I can name one : 4 - LOM .

On nailing the Boba Fett swagger

I did n’t get too much [ direction ] , just that he ’s a soldier or a bountifulness hunter . You know , you see the different costumes , they ’re all standing there . You ’ve get under one’s skin Irvin Kershner who is a great film director , just vast fun . He sort of made it supportable in the heat , and he said , " We ’re finished with you presently , so we ’ll get you out of that costume . Do n’t worry . " I said , " No , I ’m fine , " because I did n’t want to be go through being a ninny going , " Oh , it ’s abysmally hot , can we have a severance ? " You do n’t do that . You just convey on filming until you ’re released .

Drawing inspiration from theStar Wars Holiday Special

[ George ] did n’t like the holiday special , I do n’t believe . in reality I find this sort of animated cartoon - character character , and I thought , " Well , thatlookslike Boba Fett . " Well , it was . But it just did n’t work . But at the oddment of the 24-hour interval , he call for to get something out .

That moment when he realized Boba Fett was popular

[ Fox ] rereleased the films on the big screen after the handsome succeeder ofEmpire . I reckon it was then that he was becoming popular . " Hey you – you play [ Boba Fett ] , did n’t you ? I jazz it was you that wreak it . " I said , " How can you jazz ? I had a mask on . " They had it on television set for a while , but it ’s so much better to learn that motion picture on the large screen . That ’s when I think Boba Fett was there . He was trying to be nerveless , as cool as he can , and [ people would ] say , " God , look at that – that ’s Boba Fett . "

Was he happy with Boba Fett’s haphazard death?

Not really , but there ’s still a little tail - wagging there . Boba will be alright . He ’ll get out of this . If there ’s a trouble , he can get out . He does n’t need help . He can do it himself . ostensibly , he get out of the sarlacc pit – I have n’t really keep up with the books because , to be quite dependable , I have n’t got the time . I ’m always busy with something – grandchild there , and that one there , and one over there . Occasionally I foot up and read a bit about it , but I ’m not that serious , really . you’re able to get the information off one of the fans .

HowReturn of the Jedishould have ended

When they ’re all dance , and there are the Ewoks singing , all the endearing dancing , I could see the cameras go in to all the trees , like a long pan , and then it push back , and there you see Boba Fett just in the hedgerow , just watch . Just watching . That ’s all he does . Watch . I thought that would be a nice director ’s cut .

He, like most people on this planet, lovedThe Force Awakens

Now , my wife and I saw that not that long ago , a act of time ago . We saw that in the movie house near where we be , and we were the only two masses in the cinema because everyone was at school . We bring to see that , on our own , with Pepsi - Cola , now I must n’t promote , deplorable … So it work out perfectly . We just sit around quietly , like two stripling observe a flick . It did n’t mind me . I ’ll be there as Boba Fett . I can evaporate and come out . I thought that it would be good that he can go invisible .

His advice for future Boba Fetts

Just remember who ’s the foreman . [ A spinoff ] would be the prison term that it ’d be nice to be ask in to view it . If this is the standalone motion picture : " Welcome , Jeremy . " Hopefully , I ’ll get an invite .

UPDATE : Actress Carrie Fisher , who played Princess Leia in George Lucas ’s original saga , passed away at the years of 60 , after suffer a heart attack over the Christmas 2016 holiday .

boba fett return of the jedi

Mr. Boba Fett in Return of the Jedi | 20th Century Fox

Matt Patchesis Thrillist ’s Entertainment editor . He previously wrote for Grantland , Esquire.com , Vulture , The Hollywood newsman , andThe Guardian . Find him on Twitter:@misterpatches .

boba fett in empire strikes back