Movies - TV
The Empire Strikes Back Was The First Film Harrison Ford Was ‘Happy With’
By MICHAEL BOYLE
Despite his role as Han Solo making him a household name, Harrison Ford has never been too fond of "Star Wars" and advocated killing off his character long before "The Force Awakens." Ford's feelings for the franchise may be complicated, but the actor had high praise for "The Empire Strikes Back," saying, "It's the first time I've ever seen anything I've done that I'm happy with."
A big part of what made his performance work was his easygoing relationship with the new director, Irvin Kershner, who allowed him to continue improvising and appreciated his creative input. One decision Ford made was to only read the sections where Han was present, explaining, "When I finally saw the finished movie, I learned for the first time all the things that happened to Luke."
Although Ford enjoyed working on "The Empire Strikes Back," he was less than thrilled with "Return of the Jedi" and pushed for Han to die. The actor shared, "I thought that the best utility of the character would be for him to sacrifice himself to a high ideal and give a little gravitas to the enterprise. Not that there wasn't some already, but I just wanted in on that part of it."