Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’s Diego Luna Describes Meeting Darth Vader

Earlier this week, Lucasfilm finally dropped the final trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story for excited fans. The footage teased audiences with a clearer look at Darth Vader in the film and sent shivers down the spines of hardcore Star Wars fans. Now, actor Diego Luna is sharing his thoughts on the iconic character and recounting the day he met Darth Vader on set.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Luna confessed he was a bit starstruck when he saw the infamous Sith Lord at a camera test. The actor said he felt taken aback when he heard the character’s breathing since director Gareth Edwards brought sound effects to the set.

“I went to a camera test before we even started filming, and [Gareth] was doing a camera test with Darth [Vader],” Luna said. “I heard the sound and I was just like, ‘Oh my god.’I freezed, and I couldn’t react, move, or say anything intelligent. I was just like, ‘Oh, nice to meet you.’ And there he was – Darth Vader. It can’t get any better.”

Luna’s reaction is surely a natural one. After all, who wouldn’t be somewhat stunned to stand in the presence of Darth Vader? The villain stands as one of Hollywood’s most enduring, and the Star Wars series is almost synonymous with Darth Vader after all these years. Introduced in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Darth Vader became a defining symbol of the sci-fi franchise that has endured decades of pop culture scrutiny and praise.

Later this year, the character will be revived in Rogue One as a nostalgic treat for fans. The standalone film is set between Star Wars: Episode III and Episode IV, placing Rogue One in a time period when Darth Vader is at his prime. As such, audiences can expect to see the character’s temper and power displayed in full force at some point during the film.

So far, there’s been little footage to suggest that Darth Vader will appear in more than a few cameos, but fans are hopeful that the villain will ‘Force Choke’ an underling or two. In the new trailer for Rogue One, Darth Vader can be seen meeting with Director Orson Krennic of the Galactic Empire. The Sith might pay a visit to encourage Krennic to end the Rebellion’s mission to destroy the Death Star, and that motivation probably won’t be docile. With Darth Vader watching his every move, it’s no wonder that Krennic is merciless in his attempts to recapture Galen Erso and squash the Rebel’s interference.

Lucasfilm has been quiet about the character’s involvement in Rogue One since they confirmed his appearance. They did cautious fans that Darth Vader wouldn’t get too much screentime as they want to avoid overusing such a popular character. With both Disney and Lucasfilm working behind-the-scenes to bring the Sith to theaters once more, fans can rest assured the studios will do all they can to honor the character’s legacy.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story hits theaters December 16, 2016.

[H/T] Entertainment Tonight