The Surprising Reason Albert Einstein And Yoda Are Connected

Jedi Master Yoda is one of the most iconic characters in the "Star Wars" franchise. With his pointy ears, green skin, and wise words, he stands out among the other characters. Though he is small in size, he makes up for it with his great powers and centuries-old wisdom. Yoda was first introduced in 1980 in "The Empire Strikes Back," and Stuart Freeborn, the special effects artist and makeup supervisor for the movie, was given the task of developing Yoda's facial features.

According to Bold Entrance, there was already a concept for Yoda's appearance when Freeborn was brought in to help. It was far from the final appearance, though, as it was described as looking "like a cross between Yoda and Jiminy Cricket." Freeborn decided to retain the pointy ears but went back to the sculpting board to create Yoda's face. He gained inspiration from his own facial features. "I looked in the mirror and thought, 'Well perhaps there's something a bit amusing about my face.' So I modeled something of myself. Now I've to make him look intelligent," Freeborn said.

Nick Maley, a makeup artist who worked with Stuart Freeborn, explained how Yoda's final look came to be. There was an Albert Einstein picture on the wall where Freeborn worked on the Yoda sculpture. He was looking for a way to make Yoda appear more intelligent, and what better way to do it than borrow some of Einstein's features. "The wrinkles on Einstein's eyes somehow got worked into the Yoda design," Maley said, per Mental Floss. Einstein's upper lip also inspired Yoda's, minus the mustache. The image of Yoda then transformed from being a lithe, grasshopper-like creature to Yoda's appearance today.

Indeed, when placed side by side, Master Yoda and Einstein have a few similarities, such as the wrinkles on the forehead and around the eyes, as well as the unruly white hair. Afterward, per Bold Entrance, the team created Yoda's torso, arms, and legs to finish his two-foot, two-inch stature.