It’s a great time to be aStar Warsfan, with new games and shows coming out in a seemingly constant stream nowadays. But not everybody feels the love, including people involved with the franchise. Bill Hader made unexpected contributions toStar Wars: The Force Awakensa few years ago. But as much as he likes the films, his feelings about the work he did aren’t so cut and dry.
Hader, who hasproven himself as a great director onBarry, along with his stellar performance on the show, wasn’t always known for the brilliantly dark comedy of the HBO series. Initially, he was primarily recognized for his time onSaturday Night Live. But many forget that he’s done extensive voice-over work, which even extends toStar Wars. He andSonic the Hedgehogstar Ben Schwartz provided voice-over recordings for the little droid BB-8 in the sequel trilogy, namelyThe Force Awakens. The recordings were run through a voice modulator by director J.J. Abrams to create the adorable sounds everyone now knows and loves.
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However, as recently revealed on Josh Horowitz’sHappy Sad Confusedpodcast, Hader doesn’t think he deserves credit for the character. “It’s very sweet that J.J. Abrams put my name on it, but I came in and did voice stuff for it that didn’t work,” he explained. “Then, he brought me in later and said, ‘Hey, do you want to do this?’ It was like a … talk box thing, and then I did that. And the reason he hasn’t had me come back is because anybody can do that. It’s like a machine that you can operate.”
Hader also revealed that he doesn’t sign autographs anymore, and part of the reason is thanks to a rather sour experience regardingthe littleStar Warsdroid. “Autograph people don’t like me. I won’t sign things,” he said with a laugh. “You know what it was? I used to sign stuff, and then one time I saw somebody, and they had their kid come up to me to sign a BB-8 thing, and it was three in the morning. I was leaving theInside Outpremiere, and then we went to an after-party thing, and it was super late and this guy kept his kid up all night. [He] was like, ‘Go over there so he’ll sign it so I can sell it online.’ I was like, ‘That’s f*ed up.’ So now, I just kind of blanket, like, I’m not signing any of this st.”
It does align with Hader’s trend of not necessarily vibing with what he’s most popular for. Even thoughBarryseason 4 drove him into a stress-fueled habit, he seems to enjoy his acting and directing work on that show and similar projects over more comedic and light-hearted instances likeSNLandStar Wars. It’s difficult to blame him for having such a jaded view of things after that autograph story. Taking part in any huge franchise like that is bound to risk exposure to the less-than-savory types.
Still, it sounds like he has a decent handle on taking care of himself and pursuing the projects he wants to. Hader even wants to direct ahorror movie thatBarryfans might love, which could signal a new era in his career. Here’s hoping he can keep himself happy, even if it’s through the darkest and most twisted projects imaginable.
Star Wars: The Force Awakensis available on Disney Plus.
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