Happy Birthday JJ Abrams
Working With Abrams Was Cause For Celebration
At 45-years-old, I am able to look back at a whole lot of bosses. And, just like most, I have one or two that I both adore and emulate. I even miss them. A lot.
And while it would be awfully nice to walk back into an office with those people; to feel that reassurance and support. I don’t think I’d shed a tear. Rather, I’d crack a beer, toast to my betters, and tip it back as 5:00 PM came around.
However, when Daisy Ridley, Rey in the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, heard that JJ Abrams was returning to the conn for The Rise of Skywalker, she cried happy tears.
Abrams: Happy Tears
TheThings.com’s Hannah Wigant recalled:
Ridley told Rolling Stone, “Everyone was saying it was going to be Rian and everything, so I was genuinely quite surprised. And was like ‘Oh my God!’ and I started crying immediately with three people in the office. And they were like, ‘What the [heck] just happened?'”
I get that many people don’t necessarily appreciate Episodes VII or IX. That’s fine. I disagree and steadfastly posit that Abrams Star Wars and Star Trek films have been some of my favorite movie-going experiences – EVER.
So when I read notes like the above, with Ms. Ridley — literally shedding a happy tear — about the prospect of returning to the Abrams’ fold, I get it.
“I am crying…”
Moreover, I love the next passage from Ridley:
“So I emailed J.J. saying, ‘Oh my God I am crying.’ And he goes, ‘Oh my God, me too.’ And then we had a conversation a few days later and we stay in touch. But we stayed in touch the whole time anyway.”
Anyway, how cool is that?
Abrams: Important Support & Encouragement
Moreover, Ridley’s Sequel Trilogy co-star John Boyega was recently on the receiving end of some very important encouragement from his old director.
Wigandt emphasized as much when she wrote:
Abrams also has a friendship with Ridley’s co-star John Boyega, who played Finn. After Boyega’s recent protest speeches which made the actor think he wouldn’t be hired again in Hollywood, Abrams was the first person to respond to Boyega by saying, “You KNOW that as long as I’m allowed to keep working, I’ll always be begging to work with you. Deep respect and love, my friend,” Abrams tweeted.
Again, how great is that.
We all should be so lucky to get to work with someone like that; nevermind being able to enjoy that person’s work. Frankly, it’s inspirational.
And with that, I add to the happy throng who today wished Abrams “Happy Birthday.”