Rogue One Director Says Filming Darth Vader's Scenes Was Nerve-Wracking

Who wouldn't be afraid of one of the most sinister Sith Lords ever to exist? Even Rouge One: A Star Wars Story director Gareth Edwards admitted that Darth Vader's reputation precedes him, and directing the character in the 2016 was enough to make him nervous.

During an AMA session on Reddit, Edwards discussed the unexpected emotions he felt during filming for the Darth Vader scenes in Rogue One. While he knew that the men behind the mask (actor Spencer Wilding and stuntman Daniel Naprous) weren't actually menacing, that still didn't prevent Edwards from getting a bit worked up while directing the Star Wars super-villain.

"You kind of get nervous." Edwards said. "Even though you know it's an actor inside, once that helmet goes in, it's Darth!"

This nerve-wracking experience ultimately affected Edwards' directorial approach and technique during moments with Vader. Edwards confessed that he shied away from correcting the character, and even mentioned that he felt intimidated at times.

"As strange as it seems, it's really hard to tell him what to do, no one tells Darth what to do. So you find you have to talk with the actor and figure it all out before the helmet goes on," Edwards said. "Once he's in character, Darth is in charge, and if you screw up the shot, he is not that forgiving."

Ultimately, Edwards was able to tackle the scenes with Darth and present an end product that many Star Wars fans were happy with, leaving viewers none the wiser to his hesitations. Looks like the director's hidden nerves are yet another fact to add to the untold truth of Rogue One.