Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Interview with Alan Tudyk & Mads Mikkelsen

What was supposed to be 2 separate interviews with Alan Tudyk & Mads Mikkelsen became one (because of time) and I am so glad it did. Getting to see them interact together as they talked to us about their roles in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was a real treat. Here’s what Alan Tudyk (“K2SO”) and Mads Mikkelsen (“Galen”) had to say…

About their character

Mads Mikkelsen: “My character is called Galen Erso. I am a scientist, working closely together with Krennic in the film…working on a project that has the potential of making the world a better place, and also the potential of not doing so. I’m also the father of our hero…”

Alan Tudyk: “My character…K2-SO is a droid who was formerly of the Empire, and he’s been reprogrammed by Cassian’s character, and has been working with him prior to our introduction to Jyn. He’s a soldier in the Alliance. He’s been reprogrammed and the reprogram has caused him to be… free with his own personality, which, invites some brutal honesty in moments where honesty isn’t really required, and he can be funny in that way… and sarcastic, and… passive-aggressive, and all those fun things that sort of sidekicks, although they’re partners. He wouldn’t see himself as a sidekick.”

Fun Fact: Alan got to adlib a lot for his character.

* “…based on the line that was there…it’s just a version of what was there.” – Alan Tudyk

How they became a part of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Mads Mikkelsen: “Gareth called me and pitched the story for me and asked me if I wanted to be on board and I didn’t see a necessity of seeing a script, because it was Star Wars, so I said yes right away…If I’d turned it down, I’m sure my kids would’ve killed me.”

Alan Tudyk: “…I was told that Gareth wanted to talk to me and we Skyped. I knew it was for a droid in Star Wars but I didn’t think he was calling me to talk about ME being in it…he just wanted to talk about droids and motion capture. And I had done a motion capture robot in I, Robot. And so I was like, that makes sense – I’d be the go-to actor to just discuss how it’s done, how to do it.

It was a really frank conversation between the two of us, because I didn’t think of myself as in the running, just sort of a someone he’s gathering information from. And so, I was like, ‘Yeah, you don’t wanna do it this way. Here are the traps that you’re going to find yourself in. Don’t do this; don’t do that.’ ‘Give your actor a lot of takes. Don’t just give ‘em short shrift because you can fix it in post – you’re gonna screw yourself. You need to get it on set while the other actors are there, or else you’re going to be struggling to make up the performance in post, and then you’re screwed.’…it was really not the conversation I would’ve had if I had thought—[OVERLAPPING LAUGHTER] being considered. And then he asked me to audition…I put an audition on tape and recorded it at home with my wife.”

Fun Fact: Alan auditioned for the role in 3 different accents.

“…I did it with an American accent; I did it with what is called mid-Atlantic accent, and then I did it with an English accent.” – Alan Tudyk

Thoughts on Felicity Jones

Alan Tudyk: “I have such huge respect for her, she was such a leader and a harder worker than anybody; never complained, which was annoying. I complained about her inability to complain… huge point of contention. But you need that on a set…if she had set an example of somebody who is always [MAKES SOUND] then that’s what happens to a set – everybody becomes that. She wasn’t that. She a great leader. And… certainly better than I was at her age, or, as of yet, I’ve never had that kind of maturity that she has…”

Fun Fact: Alan caught on fire while filming an explosion scene.

“…I caught on fire! We were in the trenches, literally. There was a battle going on and they had explosions, and I’m wearing my skintight pajamas,… there were explosions, and people are ducking down, and suddenly my back gets hot. I think, ‘Oh, ow—ow—ow I’m on fire’ and it was a—it was like a—just a spark hit it and then just spread out. It was very flammable. I didn’t realize it…I wore fire retardant undershirts after that…”

Their favorite Star Wars characters (before this movie)

Mads Mikkelsen: “I think it’s Han Solo, for me. For the simple reason that he’s not really on anybody’s side…and obviously Harrison Ford playing him charmingly, It’s just something you can relate to, so you’re not the good, or the bad, but you’re that guy who’s just there for the fun ride, and then he’ll leave you in a second if there’s no money in that, right? it just recognizable in a wonderful way. I like him a lot.”

Alan Tudyk: “I like several characters. Today, I like Obi Wan Kenobi. He was just great, you know, he was the one who could say, “These are not the droids you’re looking for” he had the force. He was magic. He was wise. I liked him. I like Guinness, man. That guy’s amazing.”