The Big Picture

Collider’s Steve Weintraub discusses
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
with lead Jude Law.
The actor discusses his joy at joining the Star Wars franchise, and teases his mysterious character as a flawed, mischievous hero.
He also teases fan theories and an upsetting Season 1 finale, and shares his experience behind the scenes.

It’s hard to believe two-time Academy Award-nominee Jude Law is just now taking his place among the stars in Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, but he’s been a longtime fan. In this interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, the actor, whose role in the series is pretty tightly under wraps and the topic of many fan theories online, says he wasn’t necessarily waiting for the offer (“That’s not quite how I see my work.”) but he was beyond thrilled to be attached to what he calls a “really, really smart, simple idea,” that called back to his childhood in the ’70s.

Skeleton Crew is famously compared to The Goonies with its core cast of kiddos: Fern (played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong), KB (Kyriana Kratter), Wim (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), and Neel (Robert Timothy Smith). It’s a dangerously epic adventure set in the New Republic era, when this group of younglings discover an abandoned Jedi Temple, launching them into an adventure to find their way back home.

During their conversation, Law is delighted to learn what Star Wars fans have been theorizing about his role as Jod Na Nawood, who he tells us is a “complicated, mischievous, mysterious, multifaceted, sort of flawed…hero.” He shares his favorite films and shows from the franchise, teases an upsetting Season 1 finale, and the movie magic that not only brought Skeleton Crew to the screen but is a throwback to the vintage style of the original movies.

Jude Law Plays a “Complicated, Mischievous” Hero in ‘Skeleton Crew’
COLLIDER: When Jon Watts or Disney or whoever called you to be in Star Wars, were you like, “ Finally ?”

JUDE LAW: [Laughs] Well, oddly, no, and I don’t know why. It wasn’t like, “Have they not even thought about me?” But truthfully, I would watch new material coming out, especially Rogue One, which I really loved, [The Mandolorian], which I really loved, Andor I was a big fan of. I liked all of them, but I guess there’s always a, “Oh, which role could I have played?” [Laughs] and, “Why didn’t they ask?” But then, equally, that’s not quite how I see my work or my career.

What I did think was, “Yay! Fantastic.” Because I love the concept. I thought it was a really, really smart, simple idea, and it harked back to the little boy I was in the ‘70s watching this film for the first time when it changed cinema, changed me, changed everybody. That sense of awe and wonderment, take that and make that the protagonist, looking at this universe. I just thought it was brilliant. And lean on that the jeopardy’s real, the kids aren’t perfect, lives are not perfect — all of that complexity. It just got it. And then this wonderful role is complicated, mischievous, mysterious, multifaceted, sort of flawed, but a hero. I love it, and, as you can hear, I said yes pretty bloody quickly.

There’s a lot of talk; a lot of people have debated since 1980 which is better, Star Wars or Empire Strikes Back ? What’s your favorite Star Wars movie?

LAW: Empire Strikes Back, and then Rogue One.

Image via 20th Century Studios

Oh, you put Rogue One above Star Wars ?

LAW: See, I saw them at the time. So when I look at Star Wars now, Rogue One– No, I don’t know. It’s a very good question.

What’s interesting is Rogue One went through all those reshoots and all that stuff, but man, it is a kickass movie.

LAW: It’s a great, great movie. Nothing can take away from the impact that Star Wars had on me. I mean, even Empire Strikes Back, which is a better film and has one of the greatest moments in cinematic history — the reveal of “I am your father” shattered my life. How is this possible? This is the most evil, scary person I’ve ever seen, and he’s the hero’s dad? It doesn’t make sense.

People don’t understand what it was to kids.

The End of ‘Skeleton Crew’ May Be “A Bit” Upsetting
“A lot is revealed.”

So, the season is eight episodes. Which is your favorite and why, without spoilers?

LAW: I’ve only seen them through once, so that’s quite a hard question for me. I think it’s [Episode] 7 because so much comes to a head, and you find out an awful lot very quickly about my character. It’s not that it’s all about me, but, by doing that, it pushes the relationship with the kids to a whole new level. And it’s just got some fun, funky stuff in it, too. I can’t wait for you to see it!

What do you think fans will say after they’ve seen the finale?

LAW: They’ll want more. That’s what they’ll say. They’ll say, “When can I get more of this?” I think they’ll be confounded, and kind of, I hope, a little bit upset. But it’s also obviously got a kind of Star Wars glorious ending to it, too. But there are layers. A lot happens and a lot is revealed.

Jude Law Addresses ‘Skeleton Crew’ Fan Theories
“I think there’s a link there to one possible truth.”
Image via Disney+

Jon [Watts] and Chris [Ford] told me they’re wondering when I’m going to put it all together and if I’ll get there before the finale. There are a lot of theories about your character online. Have you been reading any of that or do you avoid it?

LAW: No, I haven’t. Tell me. Just give a little bit.

So, some of the things I’ve read have been saying you could be related to Rey’s father, Dathan. There’s also that you could be a clone of Emperor Palpatine.

LAW: Wow. [Laughs]

There’s also you’re an Order 66 survivor.

Related What Is Order 66 in Star Wars? “Execute Order 66.”

LAW: I think there’s a link there to one possible truth, but I may be wrong. I love that. You see, this is what I love about this universe. I’m not someone who engages in that stuff, but I just love that it’s going on. Here’s what I did do, and the first time I met [Jon] Favreau and [Dave] Filoni, I geeked out on them — I saw, in the junk outside, the rod that had been used in Mando. Do you remember the junkyard in Star Wars when they’re trying to stop the crusher coming in?

Oh, yeah.

LAW: I’ve always wondered, “What is that?” Because they’re just in a junkyard. And if you watch Mando, there’s one just lying in an alleyway, and it’s obviously some sort of piece of rubbish. I don’t know.

I was fortunate enough to go to Lucasfilm once, and they had these huge shelving units without any sort of protection with all these vintage props and vehicles and the matte paintings just hanging there. I was like, “This is crazy that it’s just sitting there!”

LAW: Open to the elements? No. Is it looked after?

Yeah, I think they’ve put it all in a better place now. But the matte paintings were basically in a barn. It was crazy. Straight up, I was shocked.

LAW: When you think of the impact that work had on culture, not just the cinematic culture, but how it sort of percolated through. I mean, they’re works of art, you know?

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Oh, completely. Speaking of matte paintings, one of the things that I’m most excited about with this series is stop-motion, which might be in Episode 6 — Bryce [Dallas Howard]’s episode hypothetically — matte paintings, and all the vintage, old-school Star Wars stuff that was added to this series. What the hell was it like for you seeing this stuff up close? What’s the one thing that you’re so excited for people to see?

LAW: It was fascinating to see it up close, and it was one of the big reasons I wanted to do the piece. I love getting into and behind the mechanics of making the magic of cinema. So, when it’s stepping into a world like this where they pioneered filmmaking, you just want to watch Light & Magic. It’s an amazing documentary. You realize just how groundbreaking they were. So, stepping into that, one of the things I love is that there are these rules that hark back to that that they still adhere to. There are stylistic decisions and stylistic guidelines. It has to be related to [George] Lucas’s first film, and the first three, certainly. So, learning and seeing that in action was a thrill.

The biggest day-to-day experience that really stimulated me as an actor was working with the puppets and the animatronic controllers because they’re the actors. So, it’s in front of you, but you’re talking to these people who are incredible at being able to manipulate and maneuver these creatures and bring them to life. Obviously, as an actor, that’s who you’re acting opposite. It’s a wonderful experience and a new one for me. And what am I excited most for them to see? Gosh. I mean, there’s a creature in Episode 7 which I hope is as exciting to others as to me. That’s just a terrible tease, isn’t it? Sorry.

Image via Disney+

The problem with this show and promoting it is you can only say so much.

LAW: “Get excited about… Oh, sorry, I can’t tell you.”

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew premieres Episodes 1 and 2 on Disney+ on December 2.

Four kids make a mysterious discovery on their home planet that leads them to get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy.Creator Cast Jude Law , Ravi Cabot-Conyers , Ryan Kiera Armstrong , Kyriana Kratter , Robert Timothy Smith , Tunde Adebimpe , Kerry Condon , Nick Frost Franchise Streaming Service(s) Dis Franchise(s) Star Wars Expand