(Given the extreme anticipation, the event was kept hush-hush to avoid any gate-crashing.)
One person was conspicuously absent from the list: Mark Hamill.
could have been the very first question.
Credit: Eric Ray Davidson for EW; Lucasfilm
Heres the rundown of the live press conference.
(Times are all Pacific.)
2:23 Mindy Kaling is the surprise moderator for the event!
Why did you want to do these movies?
is Kalings first question.
Do you want to borrow money, Fisher says.
It was nothing that any one of us took on because it was a gig that was available.
Who was the most difficult actor to work with?
It was definitely nobody on this couch, Abrams says.
She would have to, Fisher said.
I do now have a baboon-ass hairstyle …
I mean that with love.
So you need a sense of humor for that sort of thing.
2:30 For Adam Driver, Kaling jokes that the villain Kylo Ren looks hilarious.
Hes a great cook.
Hes a Scorpio, Driver deadpanned, before turning serious.
Kasdan says theres never been a character like Ren in the saga.
He doesnt have his shit all together, the screenwriter says.
Youre getting all the contradictions and conflicts that people feel.
Thats whats unique about what Adam has done.
2:31 Kaling asks Nyongo about her thousand-year-old space pirate, Maz Kanata, who now runs a bar.
Kaling asks about her relationship with Yoda.He was my first love, Nyongo says.
Thats a movie I want to see, Kaling adds.
Ideas for Disney, Nyongo agrees.
Abrams says that is not something, that happens in this one.
2:40 Kaling asks Fisher and Ridley about bringing girl power to Star Wars.
I am the beginning of girl power!
It was really fun, she said.
I got to put things in their drinks and stuff like that.
We drank through the whole trilogy in the beginning.
This [The Force Awakens] was a sober set, she added.
Thats what J.J. brought to it.
You cast someone as beautiful as Lupita, and you have her a motion-capture character?
Im like, Would it be okay if she were ugly?
2:50 Driver says the movie reflects the way our own world moves on from war and tragedy.
I found that very true.
2:53 Are there Ewoks in the movie?
Abrams replied, to groans and laughs from the crowd.
Listen, if a man cant joke with friends… he said.
No, there are no Ewoks in this film.
That you know of, Fisher adds.
Right, there are rumors some may have snuck onto the set, Abrams allows.
There are a lot of them inReturn of the Jedi.
2:55 Driver is asked about Kylo Ren in the history ofStar Warsantagonists.
We tried to not think about that as much as possible.
And not attempt to think of him as being bad, or evil, or a villain.
Something that was more three-dimensional.
Hes more dangerous and unpredictable, and morally justified in doing what he thinks is right.
2:58 Will there be an extra scene after the credits?
No, theres not, Abrams says.
She even had dots on her teeth, Abrams said, apparently not joking.
Im still finding them in things, Nyongo says.
I begged J.J. Gary was willing tosleepwith J.J.!
The crowd laughs, but Fisher clarifies: I mean nap but still.
3:15 Kaling asks Ford the same question she asked Abrams: Arent you rich?
Why would you want to do this?
Its what I do, Ford says.
Its what I like to do.
Its whats fun for me, he says, praising Abrams and the rest of the crew.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
Later he adds: Its fun to play with these toys again.
Jar Jar is not in the movie, Kennedy says, to hoots from the audience.
Ewoks are not in the movie.
Harrison insisted on it.
It was in my contract, Harrison says probably joking.
3:20 Christie is asked what other character, besides Captain Phasma, she might like to play inStar Wars.
3:22 Kaling asks what the difference was in the wrap parties betweenThe Force Awakensand the original trilogy movies.
It was really hard to get a drink at the last wrap party, Ford says.
3:23 Ford is asked if his family is impressed to see him returning as Han Solo.
Theyre just glad to see dad is still working.
I went to my trailer, Isaac says.
It was mostly going between Carrie and my trailers.
We have so few surprises anymore when you walk in to see a movie.
Its all in the trailers or ends up online well in advance, she says.
Thats really all thats driving it.
Weve respected that in all ways we can.
3:33 Boyega is asked about playing a black stormtrooper and the reaction he has received.
Ive got to be honest, I really dont care about the black stormtrooper stuff.
I coudlnt care less, he says.
This is a movie about human beings, about Wookiees, spaceships and TIE Fighters.
Its got an undercurrent of courage, a message of friendship and loyalty.
The circumstance to find something bigger than yourself is really important to me.
In terms of the kids, all theyre going to be concentrated on is BB-8.
3:34 Whats it like to get an action figure modeled on yourself and be a video game character.
To be a playable character, I get to play with myself!
he says, making himself and the rest of the room laugh.
3:37 The actors are asked if they followed any fan theories about their characters.
Boyega says he heard the speculation that Finn is the grandson of Mace Windu from the prequels.
I was at a party and someone tapped me on the shoulder, like Yo, black Jedi!
I turned around it was Samuel L. Jackson!
He says he wonders if Abrams tailored the character specifically to him as a longtime fan.
Yeah, I think mostly … with BB-8, Isaac jokes.
What would you call that.
Theres a real warmth there.
Theres a give and take, and thats whos got his back in that X-Wing.
If theres any romance for Poe, its with those two little balls.
3:48 The actors discuss their favorite parts from the original trilogy.
Isaac says it was seeing Vaders mask come off, revealing a sad, old man inside.
Christie said she was inspired as a young girl by seeing Princess Leia as a fierce action warrior.
No, Christie says.
Because thatsmyfavorite, Ford says.
Thats a wrap on theStar Wars: The Force Awakenspress conference.
The film arrives in theaters on Dec. 18.
