“Well, who’ll do that?” exclaims a Nelwyn villager when it’s announced that the mysterious baby found by Willow and his family must be taken far away. For Star Wars fans, the questioner (speaking his only line in the entire film) may seem familiar, for he is none other than Kenny Baker (1934-2016), the original actor behind R2-D2.
From Tauntauns to Brownies
Image: Lucasfilm.
In 1988, Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren explained that one of the biggest challenges to realize in Willow was the Brownies. “They’re in so many scenes that it becomes quite difficult to try and make them look like they are really in the scenes – and doing them with real people, not dolls or anything like that.” Muren and the ILM crew used a technique first developed for The Empire Strikes Back where a Tauntaun runs across the icy tundra of Hoth.
Recognize General Kael?
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Image: Lucasfilm.
When it isn’t hidden behind his terrifying skull-helmet, keen-eyed Lucasfilm fans may recognize the formidable visage of General Kael. Actor Pat Roach (1937-2004) was an accomplished martial artist and wrestler who played not one but two characters in Raiders of the Lost Ark: an imposing Sherpa who brawls with Indy in Nepal and the iconic German airplane mechanic who meets a grizzly end.
And the fun doesn’t stop there. Watch the film on Disney+ and then check out the remainder of the article.
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