Billy Dee Williams Would 'Sell His Soul' To Star Wars Again - Under One Condition
"Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker," turned out to be something of a muddled mess of a film. The pace is breakneck, the story doesn't do the previous movie — "Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi" — justice, and it's packed with downright confusing moments. If nothing else, at least it marks the return of multiple legacy actors who had spent some time away from the "Star Wars" galaxy in recent years. Alongside Ian McDiarmid as the resurrected Emperor Palpatine is Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian.
Despite not playing the character in live-action since the '80s Williams seemed to slip right back into the role of the suave Lando with ease for "The Rise of Skywalker." According to the actor himself, he'd be more than happy to do it again — on one condition. "Pay me a lot of money and I'll sell my soul," he said during a March interview with Radio Times magazine when asked if another turn as Lando was in the cards. Time will tell if Disney plans to write a big enough check to get Williams into one of Lando's many designer capes once again.
While money could bring about Williams' return as Lando, he has expressed support for the new actor behind the character.
Williams supports the new Lando
Shortly before Billy Dee Williams returned as Lando Calrissian, another actor tried their hand at the role. In 2018's "Solo: A Star Wars Story," which explores the younger years of the famed Corellian smuggler Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich, who was influenced by Jack Nicholson in his performance), Donald Glover plays a younger Lando. Not only did he end up blowing away many moviegoers with his take on the iconic character, but he seemed to earn the stamp of approval from Williams himself as well.
"He's part of a whole new generation. He'll create whatever he needs to create, to bring appeal to the character. He's a very talented young lad and very imaginative. I mean, it's not for me to say what he should do with the character at this stage," Williams told Radio Times, referring to Glover as "a delightful young man. Extremely talented." At the same time, despite Glover's talent, Williams notes that he still thinks of Lando as his character — likely the reason for his hefty desired salary to return to it. He added, "I mean, when it comes to Lando Calrissian there's only one Lando Calrissian. I created that character."
With the Lando Calrissian-centric Disney+ series on the way, and with Donald Glover reportedly tapped to co-write and star, it'll be interesting to see if he'll fly solo as the character or if Disney will crack open its checkbook to bring Billy Dee Williams back one more time.