Oscar Isaac recently opened up about his part in the hit film Star Wars: The Force Awakens . In an interview with GQ , the actor described his initial encounter with director J.J. Abrams at the Café de Flore in Paris. In addition to his meeting with the acclaimed director, the actor explained how his character, Poe Dameron, was originally supposed to die in the movie. Fortunately for Isaac, Abrams would later have a change in heart.
Isaac originally flew to Paris in order meet with Abrams about taking a part in Star Wars: The Force Awakens . Also present at the meeting were Lawrence Kasdan, the screenwriter for the project, and Kathleen Kennedy, the president of Lucasfilm. During their initial sit down at the famous café, Abrams pitched Isaacs the role of Poe Dameron as being a skillful fighter pilot who plays a large part in the resistance against the Empire.
In reply, Isaac told Abrams that the role sounded great and that he was interested. However, Abrams then broke the news that the character was set to die in Star Wars: The Force Awakens . This was one aspect about the character that Isaac was not exactly sold on.
“I’d done that before,” Isaac told the outlet, referring to his part in The Bourne Legacy . “Set up the plot for the main guy and then die spectacularly.”
Abrams apparently noticed that Isaac’s interest in the role declined after revealing the character’s fate. “I guess that’s not what you hoped for when you got on a plane to Paris,” Abrams told him.
In order to convince Isaac that the role was still valid and pivotal to the movie, Abrams and Isaac talked about the importance of being involved in a hit franchise like Star Wars . In particular, Abrams told the actor that his character would be remembered and wrote about in Star Wars fandom for years to come.
“I wanted to impress upon him how much I wanted this to work,” Abrams recalled in the interview. “We talked about the story and who this character could be. I loved the collaboration. People like Oscar are the people you listen to.”
Despite Abrams’ efforts, which included a late night discussion and Isaac reading the script on Abrams’ phone, Isaac was still unsure about accepting the role. In fact, Isaac took some time to think about it and flew back home before giving Abrams a definitive answer.
“I went back home [to New York], and I thought about it,” Isaac explained. “Then I wrote him and said, ‘Okay. I’ll do it!’ I figured it would be a cameo: I’ll come in, do my thing, and maybe it’s actually better not to have to sign myself up for three movies.”
However, by the time Isaac had written back to Abrams and accepted the part, the director had already changed the script. “Never mind. I’ve figured it out. You’re in the whole movie now,” Abrams told the actor.
“I was like, ‘Holy s**t! Alright, cool,’” Isaac recalled telling Abrams.
This change of heart concerning Isaac’s character is certainly an intriguing development, especially in light of Poe’s expanded role in the movie. Even more interesting, it appears as though Isaac’s hesitancy at accepting the part of the now-famous fighter pilot was something that motivated Abrams to make the change.
“Let’s say that it was in that conversation [in Paris] that we began to see a way that being in the movie would be worth his time and the audience’s,” Abrams told the outlet.
Fans can watch Isaac in action as Star Wars: The Force Awakens is currently out in theaters.
Tell us! Were you shocked that Oscar Isaac took his time in deciding whether or not to take a role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens ? Let us know in the comments below.
[Image via LucasFilm/Disney]