STAR WARS Icon Billy Dee Williams On Sharing Role With Donald Glover: "There's Only One Lando Calrissian"

STAR WARS Icon Billy Dee Williams On Sharing Role With Donald Glover: "There's Only One Lando Calrissian"

The legendary Billy Dee Williams played Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back and has now shared his take on sharing the role with Donald Glover, making it clear there can only ever be one Lando.

By JoshWilding - Mar 18, 2024 10:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: Radio Times (via SFFGazette.com)

After first swaggering into the Star Wars franchise in 1980's The Empire Strikes Back, Billy Dee Williams took centre stage three years later in Return of the Jedi before reprising the role in 2019's The Rise of Skywalker

That came just one year after Donald Glover played a younger version of the character in Solo: A Star Wars Story and, disappointingly, Episode IX really didn't give Williams all that much to do (there had been plans for him to reunite with the daughter taken from his by the First Order; for whatever reason, those were scrapped).

Glover is now developing a Lando movie - it was announced as a Disney+ TV series - but Williams remains open to reprising the role. For the right price, of course.

"Pay me a lot of money and I'll sell my soul," he recently told Radio Times (via SFFGazette.com). 

He then shared his take on Glover's approach to the role. "He's part of a whole new generation. He'll create whatever he needs to create, to bring appeal to the character. He's a very talented young lad and very imaginative."

"I mean, it's not for me to say what he should do with the character at this stage. I took care of the 20th century, now he’s got to take care of the 21st."

"I had a nice little lunch with him. He's a delightful young man. Extremely talented," Williams added. "But I don't see him...I mean, when it comes to Lando Calrissian there's only one Lando Calrissian. I created that character."

"I told him to be charming - two words! That's all I needed to tell him. That's all I could think of."

Lando Calrissian is a skilled gambler, pilot, and the former owner of the Millennium Falcon before losing it to Han Solo in a game of Sabacc. Despite his initial appearance as a suave opportunist, Lando evolves into a key ally of the Rebel Alliance, assisting in the rescue of Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt and participating in the Battle of Endor.

Asked recently why he's returning as Lando, Glover said, "Maya and I talk about nos a lot, it’s the only power you have in this industry. But I said yes because I like the characters and my kids love Star Wars."

Glover also shared the words of advice he received from the original Lando, the beloved Billy Dee Williams. "He was like, 'I don’t know. Be charming," he recalls. "And he wasn’t looking at me. That was my favourite part. I think a waitress or something went by."

Lando doesn't currently have a release date. Stay tuned for updates.

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marvel72
marvel72 - 3/18/2024, 10:37 AM
You're goddamn right.
Origame
Origame - 3/18/2024, 11:34 AM
@marvel72 - and he ain't no pansexual robot lover. He finished his scenes with charisma then ended his time on set with a colt 45

?si=FaHBygCHT_dA_8XN

DarthAlgar
DarthAlgar - 3/18/2024, 11:44 AM
@Origame - "and he ain't no pansexual robot lover."

I thought that was just Janelle Monae. 🤔
Origame
Origame - 3/18/2024, 11:49 AM
@DarthAlgar - nah. That's Bender from futurama.
marvel72
marvel72 - 3/18/2024, 12:34 PM
@Origame - As if Lando would shag droids,he'd be shagging all the alien species.

After a few Colt 45,he may even shag a Hutt.
mountainman
mountainman - 3/18/2024, 10:41 AM
Glover’s Lando was one of the worst parts of the terrible Solo movie.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 3/18/2024, 10:43 AM
@mountainman -

100% correct!
BruceWayng
BruceWayng - 3/18/2024, 1:02 PM
@mountainman - One of the worst parts of the movie and yet still not the absolute worst part.

We all know who gets that title

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mountainman
mountainman - 3/18/2024, 1:06 PM
@BruceWayng - Oh yeah that stupid robot was the worst.

And some of the stupid ways to give origin stories to parts of Star Wars lore.

And that stupid freckle faced girl as the main villain.

Overall I didn’t hate it as much as many people did. Better than Episodes 7-9 for sure.
MG0019
MG0019 - 3/18/2024, 2:27 PM
@mountainman - For a while freckle face girl had one schtick - to be the secret badass masked villain everyone thinks is a man. Then, 3rd act twist, it’s a freckle faced girl! And suddenly she’s no longer ruthless or badass.

Solo and Captain America D+ show did it. I think there’s another movie she’s in that did the same, but can’t remember it.
mountainman
mountainman - 3/18/2024, 2:45 PM
@MG0019 - The only other thing I have seen her in is that god awful Willow show. No mask, but she was the same overly confident and capable strong female character that is only who she is because of writing and not anything the character actually does.
ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 3/18/2024, 10:41 AM
Lando time travel fight to the death
DocSpock
DocSpock - 3/18/2024, 10:43 AM

Yes!!

Having TV clown glover play a young Billy D was the worst casting ever. The suavest actor of his generation played by that idiot sucked.

The movie was awful, and he made it worse.
Vigor
Vigor - 3/18/2024, 10:47 AM
@DocSpock - idiot? What's your problem with Donald Glover?
Have you seen him in Mr & Mrs Smith

Or Atlanta. He's VERY talented and not just his acting. The writing and humor is top notch
DocSpock
DocSpock - 3/18/2024, 11:19 AM
@Vigor -

I disagree. I think he is a TV comedian who has developed a following. He does not have the acting skills for the big screen IMO.

Atlanta does have great appeal for its loyal niche audience. I find it tedious.

I also can't stand his sh!tty rap.

This generation has many great black actors, but he is not one of them. He should stick to TV.

We all have different opinions. That's okay.

Vigor
Vigor - 3/18/2024, 11:47 AM
@DocSpock - your opinion is fine. But to call him an idiot? That's what caught my attention
Evansly
Evansly - 3/18/2024, 12:33 PM
@DocSpock - Yeah not sure why that warranted calling him an idiot. My opinions differ from yours quite dramatically. He is an extremely talented actor, musician and writer. I enjoy just about everything I have seen him involved with. Fortunately we can all have our opinions
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 3/18/2024, 10:47 AM
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HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 3/18/2024, 10:49 AM
Glover's Lando compared with the OG Lando was like comparing Don Cheadle to Terrance Howard's Rhodey. You just never saw them as the same characters.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 3/18/2024, 11:06 AM
@HashTagSwagg - THANK YOU!!!!

Love Cheadle... but he was so misscasted as Rhodey!

T. Howard's Rhodey had that smoothness about himself that Cheadle never had. I just could never see Cheadle's Rhodey as Tony Stark's "Wing" man.
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 3/18/2024, 11:09 AM
@Nomis929 - I bought Howard as a military guy and Tony's bro but with Don he just came off as a dry politician that tried to sound tough.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 3/18/2024, 11:14 AM
@HashTagSwagg - "A dry politician that tried to sound tough!"

Perfect description of Cheadle's perfomance. And I'm a HUGE, HUGE Cheadle fan, but he is so boring as Rhodey.

When Howard left after teh first movie, I was hoping for Micahel Jai White to replace him. He's not the best actor but man, he got way more personality.

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EarlChai
EarlChai - 3/18/2024, 10:52 AM
Not gonna lie, watching Solo felt like seeing an impersonation of Lando rather than Lando himself. Had a similar feeling with Vader in Rogue One--that it wasn't Vader himself, but someone in a Darth Vader costume.
Izaizaiza
Izaizaiza - 3/18/2024, 10:58 AM
Hard to think of anybody in Hollywood. More talented than Glover, but still...it's hard if not impossible to recast such an iconic character. Even worse casting was a guy who tried to play Han Solo
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 3/18/2024, 10:58 AM
I thought Glover did well in Solo so I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the role again (if that movie ever happens that is)…

However , Billy Dee will always be the OG!!.

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He was still good in TROS even if he didn’t have much to do which made sense since dudes up there in age and can barely walk
SteelGunZ
SteelGunZ - 3/18/2024, 11:09 AM
Yep, there's only one Lando.

This is why the franchise needs to continue the original vision with new characters.
Arthorious
Arthorious - 3/18/2024, 2:11 PM
@SteelGunZ - and the force awakens started that trend. Basically a retread of episode IV.
mynameisn0body
mynameisn0body - 3/18/2024, 1:08 PM
he sounds like a hater.
LSHF
LSHF - 3/18/2024, 2:29 PM
I thought Lucas created the character, but, sure, take all the credit.

And although I don't really think that's exactly what he's trying to convey, he should give credit where credit's due.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 3/18/2024, 2:57 PM
Absolutely, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to see both of them in the Lando movie. Assuming that's still happening, which I doubt.

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