A famous quote from Star Wars was subject to strict secrecy during filming. Only the lead actor was aware, which led to a big surprise at the premiere of the film.
Star Wars has produced some lines that have burned into the collective memory of fans.
“I have a bad feeling,” “May the Force be with you,” or the grammatical twists of Master Yoda – to name just a few examples. At least one quote is likely to have reached even those who normally have nothing to do with Star Wars.
We are, of course, talking about “I am your father.” Anyone who has never heard of it and doesn’t know the context within the films (and does not wish to know) should stop reading at this point. All others will learn about the story behind this line, which caused quite an effort during filming.
A well-kept secret
What is the story? Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy, that is, Episodes 4–6, talked about the filming in the Graham Norton Show. Even during the first Star Wars, there were hardly any guidelines regarding secrecy. Hamill himself let friends read the script and didn’t think much of it, except that he found some lines in it simply terrible.
By Part 2, that is Episode 5, things were different. The line “I am your father” was top secret and did not appear in the script. On set, the actor portraying Darth Vader instead spoke the line: “You don’t know the truth. Obi-Wan killed your father.”
David Prowse, who physically represented Vader, knew nothing of the true content of the scene. Neither did the rest of the cast. Only Mark Hamill was taken aside by the director and informed about the twist.
The actor was shocked by this development of his character and simultaneously had to commit to keeping it a secret for the remaining year and a half until the premiere. When it finally happened, Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo, allegedly leaned over to Hamill during the screening and said, “You knew about this?”
The quote became widely known shortly after the release of the film and is now one of the most famous in film history. The actor who later voiced the line in the recording studio and is considered legendary solely because of his voice recently passed away. In the MMORPG SW:TOR, players have now gathered to commemorate James Earl Jones.
