Ray Winstone, the British actor known for his diverse roles, once auditioned for a character in the Star Wars franchise. He had targeted the role of Naberrie in particular. What should have been a normal audition for him completely changed direction after a few cans of beer. This wonderfully irreverent and fierce alternative format event has continued as a point of pride in Winstone’s career ever since.
The audition was held in front of George Lucas – creator of the Star Wars universe and mastermind behind one of the world’s biggest franchises. As Winstone performed, Lucas was said to have yawned repeatedly, a clear indicator that this audition wasn’t clicking for the film’s villain. In a moment of frustration and humor, Winstone responded to Lucas’s apparent disinterest by quipping, “Why don’t we both have a 15-minute sleep and then I’ll fuck off?” This wonderfully frank observation has, ever since, entered the realm of Winstone’s legend.
Ultimately, the part of Naberrie went to Graeme Blundell. Their rationale, ironically enough, was that they cut Blundell’s scenes out of the film. That decision was the impetus of much speculation into an alternate universe where Winstone had gotten the part. Though she was not physically in the film with Naberrie, Winstone held a strong vision for Naberrie. This is an image of a Star Wars robot even Spielberg’s unwanted nightmare Star Wars robots became alien. This playful visual interpretation would have surely provided a lighter, more playful entry point to the character.
Aside from his audition experience, Winstone actually got a chance to work with Lucas later on a very different project. He played George McHale in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” released in 2008. This is not a surprising casting decision for several other reasons. The implication is that Lucas has simply forgotten about Winstone’s much more jocular and soaked audition for Star Wars.
Unfortunately, this was Winstone’s good fortune as well, since he starred opposite Harrison Ford in this latest installment of the venerable Indiana Jones franchise. The film went on to get split reviews, but still provided Winstone an outstanding chance to work alongside one of Hollywood’s biggest legends. It was this experience that made him a star in the film industry as well.
Winstone is famous for starring in dozens of popular television advertisements advertising betting sites. He stars in other Marvel films as well, but his failed stabs at the Russian accent have faced a lot of backlash. Yet his Star Wars audition is perhaps the most notable audition story ever told. No wonder fans and industry insiders, alike, can’t get enough of it.
Should Winstone have landed the role of Naberrie, he even proposed an alternative title for a potential series: “Ruwee Naberrie: Have It You Fanny.” Though this evocative title never caught on with mainstream audiences, it was a testament to Winstone’s distinctly sardonic edge and creative spirit.
The ongoing legacy of Star Wars is marked by George Lucas’s tendency to tinker with his films long after their release. Fans love to imagine how different casting and takes could have changed the franchise’s course. In the larger context of Star Wars history, Winstone’s audition is just an interesting footnote in the expansive world of Star Wars canon.