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I was invited by Disney to attend the #HanSoloEvent. Although all of my expenses are paid, all opinions are my own.

Paul Bettany, who plays the part of Dryden Vos in SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY took some time out of his busy day to chat with our group. He shared about his family, and about how he got involved in SOLO. I’m excited for you to hear it! Check out our other interviews with Alden Ehrenreich, Emilia Clarke and Ron Howard.

How did Paul Bettany get his part?

Ron Howard and Paul Bettany came on the Star Wars project around the same time where everyone else had been there for around 8 months or so. Paul said that there were many moments that he said “Oh my Gosh, I’m in a Star Wars movie” to himself. He even said that he kept elbowing Ron and saying “we’re making a Star Wars movie; we’re making a Star Wars movie.” Paul shares that on his first day, he was on the starship and coming down the spiral stair case in a super chic asymmetric cloak and an R2 unit went by me with champagne flutes and I went, I’M IN STAR WARS.”

Paul then shared a ‘hugely embarrassing story that he shouldn’t tell us but he told us anyways’ about how he got involved in this film. Paul said that he heard that Ron was doing it and in 1977 he saw Star Wars. He said he was 6 years old and it took him out of the gray, miserable 1970s in London where it was really depressed then. “It was good to be taken away to that universe.”

Paul shares, “suddenly I’m in Avengers so I think there’s no way I’m ever going to be asked to be in Star Wars unless Ron Howard becomes the director!” That happened, so I texted him and I said “Hey Ron! Have you ever spent long winter evenings like I have wondering why you’re not in the Star Wars franchise?” This is a true story, and Ron said “give me a moment” and 2 weeks later Paul was flying to London to shoot it.

From a Super Hero to a Villain

Paul stars as characters in both the Marvel Universe and the Star Wars Franchise – that is so awesome! Paul said that “it feels pretty great” to be Vision and Dryden Vos!

The makeup that Paul has on in SOLO isn’t actually makeup, it’s all CG – can you believe that? It is so well done. In his character as Vision, it is actually makeup so this is a huge change for him!

Paul said that it isn’t too hard to jump from being Vision, a super hero, to Dryden Vos, a villain because he knows Vision very well. He shares that “there were two times that I flew form Atlanta and the makeup crew on Star Wars were finding bits of purple still on me from playing Vision!

Paul said that he thinks that he was excited to be Dryden because he wanted to do something different. Paul shares “he is an entrepreneur, he knows who he is and is super happy about it. He has no problem being bad and he’s really gifted at hurting people.

On Working with Ron

Paul shares that he loved watching and working with Ron. “One is watching an old friend, somebody who I really love. Ron is as close to family as you get in this business. He’s put his hand out and helped me out so many times. So, seeing him be so accomplished is amazing. Ron is inclusive and genuinely interested in everybody’s opinions about how things should be.  That’s not to say that he doesn’t have his own vision.  He’s just so confident that he is able to be really open and collaborative.  I think that’s a sign of a really strong leader is when they’re listening.”

Paul Shares about His Family

Paul shared that he loved to bring his children on set and bringing people’s friends, children, etc. onto set and to take them onto the Millennium Falcon. He said he was “like a tour guide.” Paul shares that “it was amazing to see their faces, it’s phenomenal. Like you walk around the whole ship!”

“My children, I think the thing I’m proudest of with my kids is that they always say please and thank you. I have taught them that there is no separation between children and adults in our lives in terms of going to a restaurant or whenever they’re with us. They have to ask questions and they have to be engaged with other people.”

Paul shares that he has a 20, 14 and 6-year-old and what he’s noticed is that “they have a confidence within themselves that I feel I really lacked. I might be strict with them but now my son who is 20 is off in college and doing his own thing but deep down inside I know they’re good people.”

The Avengers has kept his family in shoes for the last years and Paul knows that his kids are really aware of their privilege but he’s not willing to raise one of those children. He wants them to know how rare this situation is and prepare them for a life in which they can hopefully give back in a way that we’ve all received. When the family flies, they fly coach because Paul’s son one time complained to him about the seats in first.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY HITS THEATERS MAY 25TH

ABOUT SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

Board the Millennium Falcon and journey to a galaxy far, far away in SOLO: A STAR WARSSTORY, an all-new adventure with the most beloved scoundrel in the galaxy. Through a series of daring escapades deep within a dark and dangerous criminal underworld, Han Solo befriends his mighty future copilot Chewbacca and meets the notorious gambler Lando Calrissian, in a journey that will set the course of one of the Star Wars saga’s most unlikely heroes. The film stars Alden Ehrenreich, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clarke, Donald Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Paul Bettany.

SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

LUCASFILM

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