Dev Patel Recorded His 'Star Wars' Audition With His iPhone
Dev Patel made a name for himself with the release of the critically acclaimed Slumdog Millionaire in 2008. His first role in a feature film, Patel's hard work and reflective acting performance paid off in a Best Picture Oscar for the Bollywood-inspired film. Since then, Dev has gone on to work on numerous other critically and audience acclaimed projects including The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the titular role in The Personal History of David Copperfield, and the lead role in his newest film, The Green Knight, which released on July 30th. While doing press for The Green Knight, Patel recently recalled his failed audition for a part in the Star Wars universe. In an interview with Total Film Patel reflected on that time in his life, saying in part:
"I don't know if you're allowed to talk about it, because you sign a NDA. But yeah, I think everyone did. Everyone auditioned for Star Wars. I remember, I think I was doing Marigold 2, and I sent them an iPhone video from my trailer in India. The next minute, I got a call-back, and I was there, and that was fascinating."
With the uptick in releases of movies set in the Star Wars and Marvel universes, there has been increased demand for talented young actors and actresses. While well-established actors such as Harrison Ford, Robert Downey Jr., and Benedict Cumberbatch still find rewarding and popular roles in these films, they have also been a springboard for the careers of many others. Actors like Adam Driver, Chris Pratt, and Michael B. Jordan have seen their careers flourish after playing roles in these films. With the wide swath of stories being told in these universes, including a half dozen new movies and a multitude of streaming shows, many actors are flocking to these roles.
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Obviously, Patel didn't receive the part in Star Wars and he didn't elaborate on what role in what film he had his eye on. Due to the fact that the video was sent while filming the second Marigold movie it is most likely that Patel was part of the original slate of Disney supervised auditions. Both Marigold 2 and The Force Awakens were released in 2015 and had similar filming schedules. However, with Rogue One releasing the following year and The Last Jedi premiering in 2017, it would be hard to narrow down exactly what film Patel had his eyes on. As Patel says, virtually every young, up-and-coming actor tried to get a role in the Disney Star Wars films. While actors like Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Diego Luna, and John Boyega went on to secure their roles in the Star Wars universe, there are a litany of actors with stories similar to Patel's. Eddie Redmayne and Michael B. Jordan have both told stories about auditioning for Star Wars and not being cast. With Redmayne describing his Star Wars audition as "catastrophically bad" and Jordan claiming that he "bombed."
As an actor, Patel clearly has the range to play parts in the Resistance or the First Order, Rebellion or Empire. While it would clearly be a waste of talent for Patel to portray a nameless Imperial officer, he could have been a convincing and threatening villain. While not physically intimidating or imposing, Patel could certainly be threatening with his brooding visage hiding a quick wit and sharp mind. It seems more likely that Disney had their eyes set on him for a character on the lighter side of the Force. With his history of portraying the underdog and winning smile, he could easily be pictured fighting against the forces of evil alongside Cassian Andor or Poe Dameron.
READ MORE: Bo-Katan Will Make Appearance In 'The Mandalorian' Season 3
Written By Weston Erickson
Source(s): Screen Rant, GamesRadar, IMDb
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