THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Live-Read Casts Ellen Page As 'Han' & Jessica Alba As 'Leia'

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Live-Read Casts Ellen Page As 'Han' & Jessica Alba As 'Leia'

Yes, you read that right. We've brought you the news on who'll be playing Luke and Vader in tonight's live-read of Empire already, but it seems director Jason Reitman is taking a slightly different approach for Han Solo!

By MarkCassidy - Dec 18, 2014 11:12 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: EW

Tonight, director Jason Reitman (Juno, Young Adult, Up In The Air) stages his monthly live performance of a popular movie script. What makes this one special is that it's the film many (most?) consider to be the best of the Star Wars saga instalments, The Empire Strikes Back. We found out yesterday that the parts of Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader would be filled by Aaron Paul and J.K. Simmons respectively, but and now EW have revealed that Ellen Page (X-Men: Days Of Future Past) will play Han Solo, and Jessica Alba (Fantastic Four) will play his lover, Princess Leia Organa. Easy there tiger! Here's what Reitman had to say about his choices.

"In casting Han, the most important thing is: Who has the most interesting, ironic approach to life? And when I think of that, I think of Ellen Page. She’s a small human being who has the energy to fill Madison Square Garden. For Leia, I just wanted to find an actress who was beautiful and also had the ability to be tough and funny, and I’ve seen Alba do all of that. And I needed somebody who would have chemistry with Ellen.”


The performance will take place tonight at the Ace Hotel Theater in downtown Los Angeles, moving to a larger venue from LACMA (details HERE). Tickets are sold out but apparently there will be some left on standby.
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Pasto
Pasto - 12/18/2014, 11:31 AM
What in the flying [frick].
Morbius
Morbius - 12/18/2014, 11:32 AM
COOL!!!!!
Darlene1974
Darlene1974 - 12/18/2014, 11:32 AM
That's really cool....she's a great actress...
SauronsBANE
SauronsBANE - 12/18/2014, 11:33 AM
Strangely, I'm 100% okay with this.
FirstAvenger
FirstAvenger - 12/18/2014, 11:33 AM
???? OK....
Pasto
Pasto - 12/18/2014, 11:34 AM
I'd never want to be anywhere near Page. She's so small I'd be scared that shaking her hand would break something.
sKeemAn
sKeemAn - 12/18/2014, 11:35 AM
He really likes Ellen Paige. I wonder whats going on there.
Indoorsman
Indoorsman - 12/18/2014, 11:36 AM
Great. Let's see them kiss like Han and Leia do in Empire.
batz11
batz11 - 12/18/2014, 11:36 AM
She's not butch enough...
LastOfKrypton
LastOfKrypton - 12/18/2014, 11:38 AM
Isn't Ellen Page a Lesbian? That would explain this stupid stunt.
DrKinsolving
DrKinsolving - 12/18/2014, 11:40 AM
Are they filming this??
wallhead
wallhead - 12/18/2014, 11:45 AM
well..its official, the SJWs have won
FearTheLiving
FearTheLiving - 12/18/2014, 11:46 AM
I kind of really want to see this, and I'm not even a fan of Star Wars.
Montross
Montross - 12/18/2014, 11:47 AM
Hana Solo?
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 12/18/2014, 11:53 AM
I doubt they'll even make reference et what sex the character is. I think it could work.
MonsterSquad35
MonsterSquad35 - 12/18/2014, 12:00 PM
Get outta my dreams and get into my car Jessica...
Emblemmaniac
Emblemmaniac - 12/18/2014, 12:03 PM
Well. Page is a good voiceactress so who knows :S
GrimeKid
GrimeKid - 12/18/2014, 12:04 PM
I can actually picture Ellen Page perfectly capturing Han Solo's sardonic attitude.
McGee
McGee - 12/18/2014, 12:07 PM
Hopefully they les out during the reading. My penis is gonna have a fun tim....JILLY IS LYING!!! I DON'T LISTEN TO NICKLEBACK!!! F*CK ALL OF YOU ASSHOLES!!! >:(
lawndart
lawndart - 12/18/2014, 12:25 PM
Well by this logic, how about Samuel Jackson as Princess Leia?
Mrcool210
Mrcool210 - 12/18/2014, 12:27 PM
@fettastic well i would say her god awful acting is "Something wrong with her" but body wise? Nope.

Oh and Aaron paul is Jessica Alba Twin brother? Nope, don't buy that.
MarkyMarkRises
MarkyMarkRises - 12/18/2014, 12:39 PM
I like it so far
MarkyMarkRises
MarkyMarkRises - 12/18/2014, 12:39 PM
and what's wrong with a lesbian relationship?
lawndart
lawndart - 12/18/2014, 12:47 PM
Jessica Alba is great....when she's not acting. Walking? Ok. Swimming? Good. Sleeping? Sure. Otherwise, she has the acting ability of pudding.
Mrcool210
Mrcool210 - 12/18/2014, 12:52 PM
@lawndart and the personality of a bowl of oatmeal
imkennypowers
imkennypowers - 12/18/2014, 1:02 PM
@RetroFit "Must have been tough finding someone who is actually a worse actress than Carrie Fisher. Looks like they did it!"

HAHAHAHA. Funny because it's true!!
Gorkamorka41782
Gorkamorka41782 - 12/18/2014, 1:18 PM
WOW these are both [frick]ing HORRIBLE choices! And after such god damned promiss with J. K. and Aaron...
TwiztidThorn
TwiztidThorn - 12/18/2014, 1:34 PM
This actually sounds like it could work and be fun.
johnblake
johnblake - 12/18/2014, 1:59 PM
No one cares.
Fritzthecat
Fritzthecat - 12/18/2014, 2:07 PM
This...sounds...awful. Cmon people...I'm for women's rights but this is some next level shit. Let's swap race in comics, let's swap genders for roles. I have an idea, let's swap re-using old ideas and create some new ones. Write a part for a woman that is butch or takes charge as the hero for a new audience. What the [frick] is wrong with the entertainment industry today?! A lot...that's what.
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