After an eagle-eyed fan spotted Billy Dee Williams and Donald Glover having lunch at a cafe last week, many naturally assumed it was to discuss Glover's role as a young Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Han Solo standalone film. In a phone interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Williams confirmed that this was indeed the case, and opened up about Glover's approach to the role.
"He’s a very delightful young man, I must say. We had a very nice lunch and we talked for a very long time and it was very easy. He had questions about [Lando]. I guess he was doing what normal actors do, they just want to find out what direction they want to take so they gather their information. So, we just sat and talked, and I didn’t want to impose on anything he wanted to do — he’s got his own ideas, I would imagine. I know he has his own ideas. He’s a very talented young man...I think he basically just wanted to see me, meet me, get to know me a little bit and probably figure out a way to use me in developing his character."
Of course, this a big turnaround from Williams' comments in September of last year; the actor was quoted as saying that "...as far as I’m concerned, I would say they should leave that character alone. I don’t think you can do any more than what I did with that character. I think I made that character into something very special, and I can’t imagine anybody else doing it, to be very frank with you." THR questioned Williams' initial comments, with the actor explaining that he's a little possessive about a role he considered to only be his.
"I don’t know. To me, I guess what it is that I identify so much with Lando. I mean, Lando has been very much a part of my life for over 30 years. When I go out and do conventions and stuff like that, even though people know me from all the other things that I’ve done, certainly [Lando] takes precedence. I just never thought of anybody else being Lando. I just see myself as Lando."
Williams recently reprised his role as Lando in Star Wars: Rebels, and there's been no hint at the character's current whereabouts in the new films. Williams admitted that someone else taking on the role was eventually inevitable, though he doesn't see himself as being done with the role. "Well, eventually something else has to happen with it. But I’m not saying goodbye to that character. It’s still very much a part of my life. I created that character."