Alec Guinness Agreed to Sign an Autograph of 1 Crazy Star Wars Fan Only if He Promised to Never Watch the ‘Fairytale Rubbish’ Again in His Life
Legendary British actor Alec Guinness has undoubtedly left an incredible mark on the world of cinema. Guinness earned acknowledgment for his great performances in critically acclaimed films like The Bridge on the River Kwai and Lawrence of Arabia. However, there’s one more role that will forever define his legacy. The Obi-Wan Kenobi of the Star Wars saga.
As an actor who portrayed complex characters, Guinness was initially skeptical about Star Wars. However, he could’ve never imagined that his wise Jedi master role would take his fame to a different level and cement his place in pop culture history.
Star Wars became a global phenomenon. It was not just a hit film franchise. However, amidst all the success, Guinness despised the very project that had made him a household name. People even questioned his true feelings towards the iconic saga.
Alec Guinness Told a Fan Not to Watch Star Wars Ever Again
In his autobiography, A Positively Final Appearance, Guinness recalled an encounter that revealed his complicated relationship with Star Wars. In San Francisco, he was approached by a 12-year-old boy who claimed that he had seen Star Wars over a hundred times.
Alec Guinness‘ reaction was not something the boy would have expected. He wrote in his autobiography,
“I detected little star-shells of madness beginning to form and I guessed that one day they would explode. ‘I would love you to do something for me,’ I said. ‘Anything! Anything!’ the boy said rapturously. ‘You won’t like what I’m going to ask you to do,’ I said. ‘Anything, sir, anything!’ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘do you think you could promise never to see Star Wars again?’”
“He burst into tears. His mother drew herself up to an immense height. ‘What a dreadful thing to say to a child!’ she barked, and dragged the poor kid away. Maybe she was right but I just hope the lad, now in his thirties, is not living in a fantasy world of secondhand, childish banalities.”
Also read: Ewan McGregor Reveals He Doesn’t Like Using Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Most Famous Dialogue
However, Guinness remained determined in his beliefs. This incident not only highlighted his distaste for the film but also his concern for the movie’s long-term impact.
Why Alec Guinness Didn’t Like Star Wars
Guinness’ complicated relationship with Star Wars was mostly because of his commitment to his art and his desire to be recognized as a character actor. He was proud of his ability to perform diverse roles that displayed complex personalities. The overwhelming success of Star Wars somehow overshadowed his entire body of work. It reduced him to a single, iconic character. Guinness was struggling with the thought of being forever associated with Star Wars, which he had initially dismissed.
Also read: Luke Skywalker or Anakin, Who is the Best Jedi of All Time- Ashoka’s Director Gives Unbiased Verdict
According to CBR, Guinness wrote a letter to his friend, Anna Kaufman, where he mentioned,
“Can’t say I’m enjoying the film — new rubbish dialogue reaches me every other day on wages of pink paper — and none of it makes my character clear or even bearable.”
Moreover, Guinness harbored a deep aversion to the very notion of celebrity, shunning commercial endorsements and public appearances that would “make him wince.” The relentless adulation from Star Wars fans, coupled with their fervent pleas for him to solve their personal problems, only exacerbated his discomfort with the newfound stardom.
However, Guinness also acknowledged the film in his autobiography for how it changed his life financially. He was grateful that, because of Star Wars, he was later able to be more selective while choosing projects. In an interview on the Parkinson Talk Show, he mentioned Star Wars and said,
“A marvelous healthy innocence. Great pace, wonderful to look at, full of guts, nothing unpleasant.”
Alec Guinness’ interaction with the young fan shows the complex relationship between artists and their iconic roles. While Star Wars cemented his place in cinematic history, Guinness remained loyal to his creative integrity and never accepted being defined solely by a role.
