Star Wars is one of the biggest franchises of all time, and it helped launch the career of one of its protagonists, Harrison Ford. Given the massive success of the film and its sequels in the years that followed, it established the Han Solo actor as a leading actor in Hollywood.
The space opera managed to catch the fancy of millions around the world, and its popularity has not waned at all. It proved to be a turning point in Ford’s life, as he was a struggling actor at the time. And now, nearly five decades later, a draft of A New Hope that the actor left in his rented apartment, was just off for an eye-watering amount.
Harrison Ford left a draft of Star Wars in his rented apartment that just got auctioned off
Harrison Ford is a well-respected actor in the acting industry. He has been a part of successful franchises throughout his career, such as the Indiana Jones films.
Ford’s road to success was rocky at best before George Lucas came calling, and his career really took off. He lived in a rented apartment on a street called Elgin Crescent in London, where the film was being shot. The actor lived on the top floor at the time, while the landlords, now an elderly couple, lived on the bottom floors.
Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher, who played Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia, respectively, frequented the apartment. Of course, the landlords did not know who they were, and Lucasfilms paid Ford’s rent. When the Indiana Jones actor finally moved out, the landlords found a draft copy of the script. Episode 4 was initially titled The Adventures Of Luke Starkiller, with Han Solo first appearing on page 56.
Deadline reports that the script was incomplete and unbound. However, it did star Solo’s sidekick, the trusted Wookie, Chewbacca. The script was a work in progress and had to be revised a few times, as evident from the color-coded pages.
The draft was sold off at the Excalibur Auction, as it raked in £10,795 (nearly $13,000). “It’s got his DNA on it. It might even have [Ford’s] sweat on it,” said Sarah Torode, the co-owner (via Deadline).
Star Wars: A New Hope gave Ford the much-needed boost his career needed. Additionally, it also birthed a franchise that would become dearly loved by millions around the globe.
How did Harrison Ford land the role of Han Solo in Star Wars?
Ford has had the fortune to work with the crème de la crème of the industry. Even though he has been an actor for nearly five decades, he is still one of the most sought-after stars.
He signed up for drama class when he was studying at Ripon College, and that is where he found his true calling. Unfortunately, films evaded him, and the roles he managed to land were minor, so he struggled to make ends meet. He had to take up carpentry, a self-taught skill, which ultimately paid off since it helped him meet Lucas.
He had already worked with the Director in American Graffiti, and Lucas did not want to repeat actors for his epic space opera. However, their meeting was serendipitous.
In an interview, the actor detailed how Lucas ended up calling him to read lines with the other candidates. He did it as a favor, but the director offered him the part, which changed the trajectory of his life.
Ford returned to the franchise one last time as Han Solo, in Star Wars: A Force Awakens, where his character was killed off. Moreover, Ford is unlikely to return to the franchise in any capacity now. His journey is inspiring, and his efforts and toil finally paid off.
