Liz OhanesianView more photos in “The Empire Strikes Back 30th Anniversary” slideshow.
Last night, stars and fans of The Empire Strikes Back gathered at Hollywood's Arclight Theater for a one-night-only screening of the classic film. The Empire Gives Back, a benefit for St. Jude's Children's Hospital, brought Harrison Ford, Billy Dee Williams and Peter Mayhew (without the Chewbacca suit) together with Ewan McGregor, members of Star Wars: The Clone Wars cast and fans of the franchise, like Mark Hoppus, Pete Wentz and Paul Scheer. We had the chance to ask a few Star Wars-related questions on the red carpet.
Credit: Erin Broadley
Billy Dee Williams (Lando Calrissian, reprised his role on Robot Chicken)
Credit: Erin Broadley
What was it like to work with the Robot Chicken guys?
I have a lot of fun with Seth Green and those guys. I had a lot of fun working with them.
How did you end up working with them?
They called me up and asked me to do this. I said great because I love doing crazy stuff. If I get an opportunity to be funny, I'm always looking forward to it.
Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi, Star Wars, Episodes I-III)
Credit: Erin Broadley
What was your favorite aspect of the Star Wars universe before you got involved?
I think it was the familiarity of it, that it was dirty and chipped and faded and the Millennium Falcon broke down all the time. I think that what was really appealing about them as science fiction films. They felt like this place had a history. It felt like this place was old, not brand new. Most of our science fiction films up to that point, I think I'm right in saying, have been really kind of shiny and new and sterile and here was this old dirty place full of crazy monsters and different characters.
Matt Lanter (Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Credit: Erin Broadley
When was the first time you saw The Empire Strikes Back?
In my bedroom when I was maybe twelve or thirteen.
What did you think?
I liked it, I loved it, but I didn't know how everything fit together until I got on Star Wars and started becoming part of the family.
If you were stuck on Hoth, what would you do?
Build a fire. That's the first thing.
No tauntaun?
I don't know. You know they make those tauntaun sleeping bags now. Have you seen those?
Yeah.
That's pretty wild.
Have you tried one yet?
I haven't. Maybe I should try to get someone to hook me up with one.
Paul Scheer (30 Rock)
Credit: Erin Broadley
How cold would it have to be for you to sleep inside a tauntaun?
Man, that was a crazy leap of faith for Han Solo to slice open his animal and get inside of it. No one has done that. No one will ever do that. I think that's a question for Han, why was that the first thing that came to your mind, to slice open a horse's belly and make your friend sleep inside of it. He's outside. He's totally fine.
What's your favorite world in The Empire Strikes Back?
My favorite world in Empire? I think it's got to be Bespin I'm confused how those things even stay afloat. It's very Jetsons, but The Jetsons I feel were connected to some planet. Bespin's hanging up there and there are a lot of antennas. You would think that they would have more wireless, too many antennas going on.
Mark Hoppus (blink-182)
Credit: Erin Broadley
You get stranded on Hoth, what's the first thing you do?
Watch out for the Wampas. Find a tauntaun to cut open and crawl inside of.
How cold would it have to be for you to cut open the tauntaun?
Not very cold. It looks fun. Let's be honest, it looked fun to cut open a tauntaun and crawl inside.
Have you ever tried beatboxing “The Imperial March”?
No
Would you?
Sure, why not.
Now?
Yeah, why not.
After we filmed him, Hoppus told us that we had to ask his friend and collaborator Pete Wentz to do something as well. We would have, but Wentz and Ashlee Simpson were quickly escorted past us on the carpet. Maybe next time.
Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.