Billy Dee Williams is looking back on one of his “dream” roles as he celebrates the 45th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back.
The film was released on May 21, 1980, and though it has been over four decades since it premiered, he believes it “still resonates,” telling the New York Post, “It’s not just about battles and starships — it’s about friendship, sacrifice and hope.”
“Working on The Empire Strikes Back was like stepping into a dream — an adventure in every sense,” the 88-year-old actor, who portrayed Lando Calrissian, reflected. “George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, and the entire team created a world so rich and real that it was impossible not to get swept away. I knew it was something special even then, but none of us could have predicted the lasting impact it would have.”
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The sci-fi flick also featured a handful of film industry notables: Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, and Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, among others.
“Lando was, and still is, a trailblazer,” Williams added of his character, who became a movie fan-favorite after initially betraying his longtime friend Han Solo (Ford), but then experiencing a change of heart and back-stabbing the Empire. “He showed audiences that charm, complexity and courage could live in one man.”
“I always approached him with a sense of dignity and fun, and I’m proud that after all these years, Lando still holds such a beloved place in the galaxy,” he added. “To be part of a story that has inspired generations is a humbling honor. I feel the love from fans every day, and it never gets old.”
Star Wars film saga aside, Williams has been a mainstay in cinema for over 60 years, making his film debut in 1959’s The Last Angry Man. He has elsewhere appeared on-screen in Lady Sings the Blues (1972), Nighthawks (1981), Batman (1989), Moving Target (1996) and Undercover Brother (2002), to name a few.
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