Alex Pettyfer Comments On Star Wars: Episode VII Casting Rumors
With the recent rumors that Star Wars: Episode VII might go into production this May, it’s only a matter of time before we hear official announcements about the cast. There are reports that suggest that the film’s principal actors have already been selected, but Disney and Lucasfilm are being tight lipped about the whole process. While we wait to hear who exactly will be in the new Star Wars movie, one actor who has been rumored for a role has commented on his status.
In an interview with the Edmonton Sun promoting his new romance Endless Love, Alex Pettyfer, opened up about being considered for Episode VII. Apparently, Lucasfilm reached out to the 23-year-old British actor, but he’s unsure for which role he’d play in the movie. From the Edmonton Sun:
“Wouldn’t that be exciting?” he says of working for George Lucas and J.J. Abrams. “All my peers have been rumoured.” He admits there’s been “reaching out,” a strange process where “friends of friends and acquaintances kind of gauge your interest through your manager.
“Again, I haven’t been asked to play anyone. It’s under wraps, so nobody knows what they’re being considered for. I don’t know if I was going to play R2D2 or who.” (The enduring rumour is Pettyfer would play Luke Skywalker’s son).
“I’d love to meet George Lucas though. I’m a huge fan.”
Pettyfer was linke to Episode VII all the way back in August. It was believed that he was up for a role that might have been Luke Skywalker’s son, a role that was rumored for a lot of big Hollywood stars, like Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling. These casting rumors started before J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan took over the writing duties from Michael Arndt, so it’s unclear if the role Pettyfer auditioned for was still in the mix with the revised screenplay.
Pettyfer’s career hasn’t quite taken off as expected over the past few years. He was supposed to be one of Hollywood’s brightest new stars with leading roles in I Am Number Four, Beastly, and In Time, but those movies didn’t find success with critics or with audiences. He has since co-starred in the film Magic Mike with Channing Tatum, and had a supporting role in Lee Daniels’ The Butler. With Endless Love, who knows if he will ever live up to the lofty expectations. If he lands the Star Wars gig, then he’ll definitely be a household name.
As for Star Wars, Lucasfilm’s website experienced an upgrade, while images from the website’s new look might have featured concept art of the Millennium Falcon. While the Falcon looks exactly like every rendition of the Millennium Falcon ever since the original Star Wars in 1977, it is believed that this is proof positive that Han Solo will return to “a galaxy far, far away.” It’s not as if Lando Calrissian has ever piloted the Millennium Falcon, so it could mean that the new film might feature Lando Calrissian as well.
Star Wars: Episode VII hits theaters everywhere on December 18, 2015, in 3D.
