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With the 2006 MTV Movie Awards on the horizon, we thought we'd bring back some of our favorite interviews and features from the past year to remind us why we got so excited about these films in the first place. So join us as we take a fond look back — and then get on over to the Movie Awards site and cast your votes.
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— by Larry Carroll
While navigating its way through the asteroid field that is pop culture, the "Star Wars" franchise has managed the difficult task of bridging the gaps between three generations. Regardless of age, creed or color, most of us hear a mention of that two-word title and flash back to memories of toys, dates, hairstyles and sometimes even the movies themselves. As the epic space saga comes to a close with this month's "Episode III - Revenge of the Sith," we caught up with some famous names all too eager to remind us that they've spent time in a galaxy far, far away.
"I don't think this is the final one," said Brendan Fraser, clearly in denial. "There's got to be more. Come on, people are fans for life. I think my great-grandkids and yours too are going to see 'Star Wars: Episode
98.' "
"God, I saw 'Star Wars' when I was such a little kid," said Jennifer Lopez. "The first one, it was such a big deal."
"I had all [the toys]," said rapper/actor Ludacris. "The little R2-D2. ... They were probably stolen. Somebody probably has them right now."
"I was so amazed," Jada Pinkett Smith chimed in excitedly. "My father took me to see 'Star Wars,' if I remember correctly. I was very, very young, and I just thought it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I remember those little creatures in the snow; they looked like kangaroos — the Tauntauns."
"I can remember the first time I ever had to wait three hours for a movie," laughed Will Ferrell. "It felt like you were at Disneyland. I remember 'The Empire Strikes Back.' My mom actually took us out of school to go see it on opening day. People were lined up around the block to see these amazing films."
Everybody from Ben Stiller ("I enjoyed the first three") to Matt Dillon ("My favorite scene in ['Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope'] was the scene in that bar with all those characters — I've been in a few bars like that in reality") is proud to assert their "Star Wars" geek credentials. But for many celebrities, a "Star Wars" memory is more a remembrance of youth than of any particular scene or character.
"My first date, when I was 16 years old, I got my first car — it was a '69 Cadillac," said rocker Ben Folds. "We went to the third 'Star Wars' movie, 'Return of the Jedi.' They had just built the mall, and it was built next to a cow pasture. We walked out of the movie, and there were cows walking across the parking lot. That's what I remember about the movie — cows walking across the parking lot."
When asked for his fondest "Star Wars" memory, Oscar nominee Don Cheadle also remembers getting romantic. "Probably [having sex with] Chewbacca," the actor laughed. "He smelled pretty bad."
On a more serious note, many celebrities cite the role models that the franchise provided for them when they were young. "When you're a little girl, you have a tendency to want to emulate female heroes," said "Torque" actress Monet Mazur. "I had to have the Princess Leia buns."
"Everybody wanted to be Princess Leia," said Lopez. "I mean, all the girls, anyway. We did the bun thing."
"Princess Leia's hairdo," laughed Thandie Newton. "That's just epic. It's a ridiculous hairdo, and yet she rocks it."
While George Lucas may insist that the movies are about the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker, for male celebs the most beloved character is the scoundrel in the black leather vest.
"Han Solo," Fraser said, remembering his boyhood hero. "I loved it when the Millennium Falcon dove down into the trench cavern; it was like a roller coaster ride. He had all the elements of Errol Flynn movies and all the dashing stuff that we loved."
While young white kids were dressing up as Han Solo, black kids were happy to find a hero of their own. "Billy Dee Williams, back in the day," Larenz Tate said, citing the man who played Lando Calrissian. "For me, he was somebody who we looked up to so much as a black actor being in space. It was just a moment that was amazing and has always resonated since that time until now."
Ludacris has no idea what color the skin of his favorite character is — he just knows that he's cool. "It's all about Chewbacca the Wookie," he said. "You couldn't really understand what the hell he was saying. He was like me — he was an artist, and you had to feel his tone and what was going on to really understand him."
There isn't much in this world that Ludacris has in common with 74-year-old actor Ed Asner, but they share a love of the giant Wookie. "I always loved Chewbacca," said Asner. "He's funny and cute and expressive. I was not a big fan of [the Ewoks]. They're a little too cutesy."
Not every "Star Wars" memory is a fond one. When it comes to the series, you can't ask for a recollection without also getting an opinion. For some stars, that means naming the characters they just can't stand.
"I'm going to go with Lando Calrissian," said "Alias" actor Kevin Weisman. "I don't know why. Sorry, Lando. He was the Benedict Arnold, that's why I don't like him."
"Jar Jar," said "The Aviator" actor Adam Scott. "Because he sucks. I mean, come on — I think they knew he wasn't the greatest character."
When asked about "Star Wars," most celebs rarely brought up the controversial prequels. When they did, the memories were often unpleasant. Such sentiments were summed up by "South Park" creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone when they were asked what they'll remember.
"The original 'Star Wars' movies," said Parker.
"Yeah," echoed Stone. "The feeling I had when I liked it."
"That movie was our religion," said Parker. "It was basically saying, 'Hey, there's this power out there, and we can all sort of tap into it, and it's us and it's everything, and anyone can do this.' And then suddenly the new ones came out, and it's like, 'Well, no, it's all genetics. It's all in your blood.' "
"Horrible," Stone said of the prequels. "Beyond all the wooden acting and the stupid fights and all the terrible scripts, the very core of 'Star Wars' was ruined in these new ones. The idea that you're born with the force is so anti the original 'Star Wars.' Even though George Lucas made them all, he's wrong."
When asked which character they hate the most, Parker doesn't miss a beat: "Anyone in the prequels."
"Anything in any of the new ones," Stone agreed. "They don't exist to me. I don't even know what you're talking about. The new 'Star Wars' don't exist in my reality. Lucas is just an insane guy up in San Francisco now."
Nevertheless, the two insist they'll always have fond memories of the originals.
"That general in 'The Empire Strikes Back,' the squid guy," said Stone, describing his favorite character, Admiral Ackbar, and wiggling his cheeks to imitate the rebel leader's blubbering. " 'Bluh, bluh, bluh, bluh.' That guy's great."
We love 'em, we hate 'em, but if there's one shared experience, it's that we've all lived with 'em.
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Photo: 20th Century Fox
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