In Neill Blomkamp's most recent film,
Elysium (2013), Matt Damon played Max De Costa. An ex-felon (car thief) out on parole working a blue collar job. With his tattoos and shaved head, he makes an imposing figure. He comes across as a man who has been through the ringer, but it genuinely trying to get his life somewhat on track. That doesn't keep him from getting sassy with his robotic parole officer, which adds time to his parole. When Max is exposed to a lethal dose of radiation his understandably selfish need to survive kicks in. Apparently, J.J. Abrams liked Max's style, and wants to incorporate elements of them for one of his
Star Wars characters.
"Director J.J. Abrams and producer Kathleen Kennedy are casting the net far and wide, meeting actors in the U.S., the U.K. and Australia. The duo is looking in particular for a tough-cookie girl in the 17- to 18-year-old range and a charismatic, funny guy from 19 to 23. "We don't want to leave any stone unturned," U.K. casting agent Kate Bone told the BBC. With the movie now being rewritten by Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan, sources say producers also are looking to fill a new role: a 40-something military man a la Matt Damon in Elysium." - THR