Why Sylvester Stallone Turned Down A Star Wars Role
Nobody predicted that Star Wars would go from a single film to a multi-billion dollar fandom that would inspire thousands to cosplay Princess Leia. But here we are, complete with Star Wars vs Star Trek street brawls and everything. The list of actors who passed over roles in the film is pretty long, and let's be honest, we like it that way. Outside of the blasphemous Episodes 1-3, no Star Wars fan wants to change anything about the films.
Hard to believe, but one of the actors who passed up a career-defining role in A New Hope, the first film produced, was none other than Rocky Balboa himself, Sylvester Stallone. If the stars had aligned slightly differently, the muscle-bedecked action star would have portrayed one of most important roles in the franchise. But, in the end, he joined the ranks of other "almost" Star Wars stars, such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Gary Oldman, which in turn kept the franchise from becoming something akin to Demolition Man or Judge Dredd. Could you imagine?
Stallone was no Han Solo
If you've ever seen Stallone, you know just by looking at the guy that he wouldn't have been a great Han Solo. He's big and bulky and doesn't really have the same sleek wit that Harrison Ford brings to the character. Had Stallone gotten the part of Han, the Star Wars franchise would be a totally different beast than it is today, but that doesn't mean he didn't try to audition.
In 2014, Stallone discussed his experience auditioning for Star Wars on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon. It was shortly after his success with the first Rocky. Apparently, he knew right off the bat that he couldn't finish the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs, and so did George Lucas and the casting crew. In fact, they knew before he ever had the chance to read. So, when he shows up, they see him there and he realizes they realize it's not a good fit. "Let me just make it easy for you: I would look like crap in Spandex, leotards, and a ray gun. I get it, guys in space don't have this kinda face," he said. Then, he graciously walked away. No disrespect to Stallone, but we're glad he did.