'Solo: A Star Wars Story': Alden Ehrenreich Recalls His Reactions to Being Cast as Han Solo

Joining a Star Wars film in any capacity is a life-changing experience, especially when you become [...]

By Patrick Cavanaugh

Joining a Star Wars film in any capacity is a life-changing experience, especially when you become the central character of an entire film. Solo: A Star Wars Story actor Alden Ehrenreich shared that he was so overwhelmed by earning the role of Han Solo and his confusion over having to keep the news a secret resulted in him taking a spin on an amusement park ride.

"I got the call, I was just on the street, and I called my family, I told them, but, all my friends, I couldn't tell anyone really, it wasn't even going to be announced for three months," the actor shared in a featurette when asked by director Ron Howard how he responded to earning the role. "And so I didn't know what to do, but I felt I should do something. So I went to the beach by myself and walked around and there was the pier there so I went to the pier and I said, 'I guess I'll ride a ride,' so I just rode a rollercoaster by myself."

Co-star Donald Glover chimed in, adding, "That's the most 'Alden' answer I've ever heard."

Despite seemingly being sworn to secrecy, the actor believed he could put his faith in his family, ultimately learning how difficult it was for them to keep the secret.

"I told my nana and I was like, 'You can't tell anybody,' and she was like, 'Okay,' and then I called her a week later and she was like, 'Everyone's thrilled!'" Ehrenreich joked.

Of all the actors to join the Star Wars saga, Ehrenreich had one of the more difficult tasks, as he had to embody the iconic smuggler without merely doing an impression of Harrison Ford. Lucasfilm put enough faith in him and his abilities to have him sign on to appear in three films, though the nature of his subsequent appearances has been called into question following the release of Solo.

Despite earning nearly $400 million worldwide, Solo took in a fraction of what its Star Wars predecessors earned, made especially disappointing with its reported $275 million production budget. A direct follow-up focusing on the character seems unlikely, yet it's possible Ehrenreich could appear as Han in a number of different standalone films focusing on other characters.

Solo: A Star Wars Story available instantly on September 14th digitally in HD and 4K Ultra HD and on Movies Anywhere and on Blu-ray 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and On-Demand on September 25th.

Would you like to see Ehrenreich reprise his role in another Star Wars film? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

[H/T Twitter, FandangoNOW]

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