Star Wars: Adam Driver Was Worried He Would Hit Max von Sydow on First Day of Force Awakens

As the final chapter approaches, the promotion machine for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in full force. With the ninth episode set to arrive in less than three weeks, the cast and crew have begun to reflect on the early days of working on the series with Star Wars: The Force Awakens, with the cast confirmed in April of 2014 and production starting about one month later. Though there’s plenty of funny moments from the production of Rise of Skywalker that have already been shared, but we’re also learning new anecdotes from the making of Episode VII as well.

Speaking in a new interview with Rolling Stone, franchise star Adam Driver has revealed a hilarious bit of info about the making of the first film in the sequel trilogy and how he was worried he would be fired on his first day. The first scene Driver shot as Kylo Ren was actually his debut sequence in the movie, wherein he searches for Lor San Tekka (played by legendary actor Max von Sydow) who reportedly knows the location of Luke Skywalker. When San Tekka won’t disclose this information, and delivers a line about Kylo being unable to ignore his family, Kylo strikes him down. This moment was not so easy while filming as Driver couldn’t see through the mask.

“My first thing I had to do was kill Max von Sydow,” Driver said. “I have this long saber, and I can’t see where it’s going. So I didn’t want to, on my first day, just whack Max von Sydow. That would be the end of the movie, for me. I missed him — but it was total luck, because I was kind of swinging blind.”

Driver’s character ditched his mask at the closing of The Force Awakens, and was mask free for the entirety of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Unfortunately for him, the mask makes its return in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, though whether Driver was able to see in the scenes when he’s swinging his saber has yet to be disclosed.

Lucasfilm and director J.J. Abrams join forces once again to take viewers on an epic journey to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the riveting conclusion of the seminal Skywalker saga, where new legends will be born and the final battle for freedom is yet to come.

Starring Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Kelly Marie Tran, Anthony Daniels, Keri Russell, Richard E. Grant, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Joonas Suotamo, Ian McDiarmid, Billy Dee Williams, Carrie Fisher, and Mark Hamill, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker opens December 20.