What Billy Dee Williams Told Donald Glover During Lando Calrissian Meeting

Donald Glover has a huge task on his hand trying to emulate Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian in the upcoming Han Solo Anthology film. So when he needed advice on how to play the smuggler and gambler, there was only one man he could turn to: Billy Dee Williams himself.

Glover and Williams did just that last month. An image of the duo sharing a meal in Los Angeles was even uploaded to Twitter when an eagle-eyed Star Wars fan caught them.

Sooooooo yesterday a certain Mr. Glover and a certain Billy Dee were lunching at my favorite spot in Los Feliz and UM OMG #LANDO #starwars pic.twitter.com/8ICWPoinai

— Loren LaRocc ? (@GODDOLLARS) January 23, 2017

So when the Hollywood Reporter sat down with Billy Dee Williams to talk about his upcoming role in The LEGO Batman Movie, in which he portrays Two Face/Harvey Dent, the topic was always going to turn to his meeting with Donald Glover.

Billy Dee Williams was glowing in his praise of the actor, revealing that the pair sat down for a meal for quite a while, which allowed Glover to pepper Williams with a myriad of questions regarding the character.

“He’s a very delightful young man, I must say. We had a very nice lunch and we talked for a very long time and it was very easy. He had questions about [Lando]. I guess he was doing what normal actors do, they just want to find out what direction they want to take so they gather their information. So, we just sat and talked, and I didn’t want to impose on anything he wanted to do — he’s got his own ideas, I would imagine. I know he has his own ideas. He’s a very talented young man.”

But while Donald Glover probably came away from their meeting with a hoard of new information that he could use in his portrayal of the character, Billy Dee Williams revealed that he also took something away from their coming together. That’s because he’s now become the latest, and instantly coolest, fan of Childish Gambino.

“In fact, I was listening to some of his music [Childish Gambino, Glover’s musical alter-ego] and it’s pretty good stuff.”

Billy Dee Williams revealed that he didn’t really provide Donald Glover with a definitive overview or succinct points for how to play the character. Instead, Glover simply seemed to be surveying Billy Dee Williams for little traits and characterization that he could incorporate into his portrayal.

“Not to any great extent, I think he basically just wanted to see me, meet me, get to know me a little bit and probably figure out a way to use me in developing his character.”

Billy Dee Williams joked that while Donald Glover won’t be able to make Lando Calrissian as “cool” as he did, Williams insisted that Glover’s “eclectic” approach to his art and how he’ll allow that to embody his performance should service the character perfectly.

But while Donald Glover is taking over the character, Billy Dee Williams insists that this isn’t him saying “goodbye” to Lando Calrissian, as he explained, “It’s still very much a part of my life. I created that character… I just never thought of anybody else being Lando. I just see myself as Lando.”

The big question now is, though, whether or not Billy Dee Williams will actually cameo in the Han Solo Anthology film as an elderly Lando Calrissian. But while Williams insisted that he’d love to return as the character, he doesn’t know if it will be in the Han Solo Anthology film.

“I don’t know. It depends if they ask me to. I wouldn’t mind doing it.”

[Featured Image by Paul Morigi/Getty Images]