Billy Dee Williams Gave Donald Glover This Simple Advice About Playing Lando
Now that Lando Calrissian is finally getting a chance to star in his own Star Wars property, it is Donald Glover and not Billy Dee Williams who will take center stage.
Williams, of course, originated the role of the cool rogue smuggler in The Empire Strikes Back before reprising his iconic character in Return of the Jedi and the Rise of Skywalker.
Photo: The Hollywood Reporter
Between his Star Wars appearances, however, Donald Glover portrayed Lando in Solo: A Star Wars movie.
Williams Says He Wished He Could Play Young Lando
In his new autobiography, Williams explains that he wished he could have traveled back in time to play a young Lando, but he understands why Glover was given the role.
Photo: Lucasfilm
“In the spirit of full disclosure, I wished that I had been able to jump back in time to play young Lando because, in my mind, there was and ever will be only one Lando, and that’s me,” he said. “However, I was too old to swagger anywhere, and the job of getting behind the Millennium’s controls went to Donald Glover.”
According to Williams, Glover set up a meeting with the original Lando, where the two actors talked about the role. It was a gesture that Williams appreciated.
A Meeting of the Minds
When discussing how he went into creating Lando, the actor said he had a unique take on the character.
“I didn’t play Lando as a Black man,” Willaims said. “That would’ve been the usual cliché, which they would’ve got if not for me.”
Photo: Star Wars
“To me, he was the future. Lando was a futurist. You never see what he invents, but it was always obvious to me and has become more so over the years. He invents himself,” he continued.
According to Williams, while he felt that he talked for too long about Lando, Glover seemed generally interested. Then Williams summarized his thoughts.
Photo: Lucasfilm
“At the end of lunch, I summed up everything I thought he needed to know in three words: ‘Just be charming,'” he said.
Glover’s Recollection of the Meeting
Interestingly, Williams’ recollections mesh well with Glover’s take on their meeting.
In 2017, the Mr. and Mrs. Smith star told reporters that he ran a number of ideas past Williams.
Photo: Direct
“I was like, ‘I’ve always felt like this character could do this, and he represents this, and I kind of feel like he comes from here, and it’s very obvious he has a lot of taste, so maybe he grew up seeing that from afar?'” Glover recalled. “‘Because I’m like that. Maybe he saw it from other planets and was like, ‘I want to be that.'”
In the end, both stories ended up in the same place.
Photo: Giant Freaking Robot
“He just let me ramble on and on, and then finally I was like, ‘So, what do you think?'” Glover recalled. “And he goes, ‘Yeah, I don’t know about all that. Just be charming.'”
