Having landed the gig of a lifetime in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Oscar Isaac came into the upcoming sequel film as part of a family of Star Wars fanatics and wanted to make sure every aspect of the performance in his role as X-Wing pilot Poe Dameron was accurate. That’s why he would turn to another iconic ace in the Star Wars mythos, who’s also a pilot in real life in Harrison Ford for what he thought would be sagely acting advice relating to the cockpit. However, hilariously enough, what he got, was probably the rhetorical equivalent to a friendly slap in the face of someone overthinking things.
Appearing last night on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Oscar Isaac discusses some humorous advice given to him by Harrison Ford that could very well reduce the entire profession of acting to a simplistic series of perfunctory movements. As Isaac recalls, Ford’s advice as an actual aviator regarding on-screen piloting in the Star Wars universe was reduced to these simple words,
It’s fake. And it’s in space, so none of that applies, really.
Duly noted. We’ve already caught a brief glimpse of Isaac’s character in The Force Awakens trailer, sitting in the cockpit of an X-Wing, looking intense. However, it seems that he had to achieve that state of badassery based on his own inspiration. Certainly with this particular anecdote, Isaac was probably walking a thin line between spoiler territory, as he stuck to the vague narrative, profiling his Poe Dameron character with the simple description saying, "I do some piloting in the movie. That’s all I can say." Yet, the story of this interaction between a would-be apprentice and an old master may fuel the narrative of a major rumor about the Dameron character and his possible connection to Han Solo.
Interestingly enough, in the interview, Isaac would continue what seems to be a talk show tradition in revealing his familial Star Wars fan pedigree. It seems that he and his family have delved deep enough into the fandom to reach the level of Star Wars-themed cosplay parties. However, Isaac, himself had been relegated to dressing up as a less-than-impressive boxy, junky Gonk Droid seen throughout the Original Trilogy. It’s a charming reveal that certainly sets Isaac up in a poetic sense for what could be a legendary run in The Force Awakens and possibly in its two follow-up films.
Regardless of the true nature of Poe Dameron, it has been made quite clear over this period of buildup to the long-awaited sequel that it will serve somewhat in passing of the protagonist baton over from the classic characters of the Original Trilogy to a new set of heroes, along with Daisy Ridley’s "Rey," and John Boyega’s "Finn." Thus, in all likelihood, future occurrences of Oscar Isaac’s family cosplay sessions could proudly include Poe Dameron costumes. (Although, Oscar can still do the Gonk Droid thing if he chooses.)
To get a better sense of the passion that Oscar Isaac is bringing to this mysterious role in The Force Awakens, opening December 18, check out the video of the interview above! (Which also provides valuable insight into Harrison Ford’s method acting approach.)
