12 Little-Known Insights from the Making of ‘Star Wars’

On May 4, enthusiasts around the globe commemorate Star Wars Day, celebrating George Lucas’ iconic, multi-billion-dollar franchise that has captivated audiences for decades.

Presently, there are nine episodes in the Star Wars film series, alongside three standalone films (with two additional projects in the pipeline). Since the acquisition of Lucasfilm by Disney for over $4 billion in 2012, the company has introduced several Star Wars TV series — including the Emmy Award-winning The Mandalorian — as well as a plethora of merchandise and a dedicated section in their theme parks.

Nevertheless, Lucas’ ultimate vision was to offer a realm for imaginative exploration.

“The reason I’m creating Star Wars is to provide an exotic and distant environment where young minds can explore their creativity,” Lucas expressed to The New York Times in 1976. “I feel strongly about encouraging children to aspire towards space exploration. I want them to yearn for it. I wish them to rise above the mundane concerns … It’s essentially our hope.”

From Lucas’ inspiration to the true narrative behind Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith’s thrilling lightsaber duel, here are 12 behind-the-scenes facts you might not have known about Star Wars.

Ewan McGregor utilized a recording of Sir Alec Guinness’ lines to embody Obi-Wan Kenobi

Sir Alec Guinness brought the iconic character Obi-Wan Kenobi to life in Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope, and Ewan McGregor recognized the challenge in portraying the Jedi’s younger counterpart in the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

Seventeen years later, McGregor returned to the role for Disney’s Obi-Wan Kenobi series, revisiting the character through a familiar lens.

“I always strive to mimic him, but I need to feel like him, considering his unique inflections,” McGregor shared with Rotten Tomatoes in 2022. “I have his lines from A New Hope stored in a sound file, comprising just his dialogue.”

Samuel L. Jackson landed his role as Mace Windu by expressing his desire on a talk show

“Ask and you shall receive” might resonate with Yoda, but Samuel L. Jackson practically made this a mantra to secure his casting as the headstrong Jedi Mace Windu.

In 1996, Jackson appeared on the British talk show TFI Friday, where he openly expressed his eagerness to join the upcoming Star Wars prequel trilogy.

“Upon watching [Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope], I thought, ‘Wow, I would love to be involved in one of these films,'” Jackson recounted to ScreenSlam. “Twenty years later, I had the chance to voice that sentiment, realizing George [Lucas] was about to produce the next segment. If I kept stating it, maybe he would hear me, and he did.”

Mark Hamill initially believed Harrison Ford’s Han Solo was the true star of the franchise

Although Mark Hamill was the original leading character as the beloved Luke Skywalker, he once thought of himself primarily as a supporting figure alongside Harrison Ford.

“During my screen test, I assumed Harrison was the lead. I felt like the pesky sidekick … constantly challenging him,” Hamill revealed on the Smartless podcast in 2025. “However, as I read through the [script], I quickly realized, ‘Oh my goodness. This story is told through the perspective of this teenage farm boy.’ That was remarkable in itself. One would typically expect it to be from Han Solo’s viewpoint.”

Jude Law’s childhood admiration for Star Wars motivated his pursuit of a role in Skeleton Crew

As the Star Wars universe continues to expand, Disney launched a coming-of-age adventure series titled Star Wars: Skeleton Crew in 2024, starring Jude Law as a Force-sensitive pirate captain named Jod.

As a child, Law held a deep affection for Star Wars and aspired to be part of the franchise.

“Looking back, it was a significant aspect of my passion for film, the art of storytelling through cinema and what motivated me to pursue acting, hence my desire to be in that universe,” Law shared with PEOPLE in 2024.

Darth Vader’s iconic “I am your father” line was initially known only to Hamill, Lucas, and director Irvin Kershner until the film’s debut

In the acclaimed Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back, Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones) delivered one of cinema’s most enduring lines in response to Luke’s accusation of patricide.

“No, I am your father,” Vader countered.

The secret was so closely guarded that only Hamill, Lucas, and Empire Strikes Back director Irvin Kershner were privy to it beforehand.

“The cast and crew first learned of the revelation upon watching the completed film. During filming, Vader’s line was, ‘You don’t know the truth; Obi-Wan killed your father.’ Only Irvin Kershner, George Lucas, and I were aware of what would be added in post-production. Keeping that secret for over a year was agonizing!” Hamill shared on X in 2020.

Mark Hamill was bitten by a snake during the shoot of The Empire Strikes Back

In The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker learns the ways of the Force under the guidance of the wise, miniature green Jedi master Yoda on the swampy planet of Dagobah. However, the set was littered with snakes, and Hamill encountered one that bit him.

“It was just a little love nip,” Hamill humorously recounted in a behind-the-scenes feature.

An actual volcanic eruption was featured in Revenge of the Sith

In Revenge of the Sith, a fully dark-sided Anakin Skywalker engages in a monumental, fiery duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi on the volcanic world of Mustafar.

Interestingly, some of the volcanic eruptions depicted were genuine, as Mount Etna erupted during the filming of backdrop photography in Italy, according to Lucasfilm editor J.W. Rinzler in his book The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.

Hayden Christensen earnestly sought to wear the Darth Vader suit

Following his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker — who transitioned from a hopeful padawan Jedi to one of cinema’s most notorious villains — Christensen originally wasn’t intended to wear the iconic Darth Vader suit in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

Lucas and producer Rick McCallum were searching for “basketball players” and similarly tall actors to step into the Vader suit, but Christensen insisted upon donning it himself.

“I respectfully inquired if it might be possible for me. And George [Lucas] and Rick [McCallum] — true to their character — granted me that honor,” Christensen shared with About Entertainment in 2005.

Yoda was nearly portrayed by a monkey wearing a mask

The creation of Yoda’s puppet form was almost even more amusing. In Rinzler’s book, it notes that Lucas initially considered having Yoda portrayed by a monkey in a mask.

However, the idea was quickly abandoned, leading to the involvement of the legendary Muppets creator and puppeteer Jim Henson, who helped craft the Yoda we know today.

Two versions of The Mandalorian’s Baby Yoda were created

As the inaugural live-action Star Wars series, The Mandalorian achieved immense success, with its most standout character being the endearing Baby Yoda. Bringing this character to life involved significant effort and creativity.

In numerous scenes, as many as five puppeteers operated animatronic elements such as eyes, head, and arms, as reported by VFX supervisor Richard Bluff to The Hollywood Reporter. Moreover, there was a “stuffy” version designed for instances when the Child was not in focus.

Additionally, a CGI representation was developed for rare moments when a digital performance was necessary, emphasizing the importance of ensuring it matched the puppet’s movements, Bluff stated.

Daisy Ridley earned her role through an interrogation by Kylo Ren

For A New Hope, the director of Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens, J.J. Abrams, sought to cast a relatively unknown actress for the character of Rey in the sequel series.

Daisy Ridley, who ultimately secured the role, underwent five auditions — one of which included a tense encounter with the menacing Kylo Ren (Adam Driver).

Abrams noted in a behind-the-scenes documentary that he knew Ridley was the right fit when he witnessed the depth of emotions she displayed during the interrogation scene with Driver.

George Lucas drew inspiration from Akira Kurosawa’s 1958 film The Hidden Fortress

Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa significantly influenced Lucas’ storytelling approach. The innovative narrative structure of Kurosawa’s 1958 epic The Hidden Fortress inspired Lucas’ vision for Star Wars.

“[The Hidden Fortress’] is told from the perspective of the two lowest characters,” Lucas remarked in the film’s Blu-ray extras. “This gave me the idea to frame the Star Wars story through the eyes of the two least significant characters, much like Kurosawa did, focusing on the droids [C-3PO and R2-D2].”