Someone Has to Be On The Side Of The Empire: Ben Mendelsohn Interview

When it comes to Star Wars movies we are always rooting for the Rebels to win right? So far everyone we’ve interviewed has been on what we consider to be the good side the light side. But to have balance in the galaxy there has to be a little bit of both and someone has to be on the dark side of the Empire or there won’t be a movie. Ben Mendelsohn plays Orson Krennic who is on the side of the Empire and he makes the Empire look sexy!

I mean, if you had to root for someone it has to be him right. Ok, I’ll admit even in the scene we were able to preview this guy is deplorable, he kills Jyn’s mom. But in his defense she showed up with a gun when she was majorly outnumbered and tried to kill him. In our interview with Ben he talked about how he never dreamed he would play a member of the Empire in a Star Wars movie but he wishes he could have told himself he would one day be in a Star Wars movie. That would have been a “good turn”. As you read the rest of our interview with him you’ll have to forgive me because the more I listened to this guy the more of a fan I became. He was funny, charming, witty modest and very good looking. I loved taking his photos!

His modesty came out many times as he said he was honored to be in this movie, plus when director Gareth offered him the role he was concerned that he wasn’t the right guy but also very flattered. And in the scene that we saw he sure is good at delivering evil. You can see just a bit of him here in this trailer….

During the interview he was asked if he relates to being an “unlikable sociopath”. His response was that he doesn’t associate himself with the characters he plays but it’s ok that everyone else does.

“No, I do think there’s a certain, there’s a certain if you like palette of emotions that you get to work with more if you’re playing you know the bad guys like the angry, resentful, enraged sort of stuff. I think, look I consider it a real honor to be playing you know bad guys in certainly in this film and there’ll be one or two more. Yeah, I consider it a real honor. But look, I’ve had a long and varied career so I don’t associate myself with my characters you know but you know it’s fine that everyone else does.”

Ben Mendelsohn talked about how his character was fun to play and that it was really easy to get into character once he had the suit on and then even more real once there were storm troopers walking around him. He was also asked if he was to get into a fight with Darth Vader who would be stronger…..

I think my guy is more like you know –. I mean in a personal sense? I don’t think there’s any competition you know in a one-on-one. But I think the Empire being what it is you know Darth’s, Darth’s pretty good but I’d hate to see him go up against you know a couple of squadrons. And or I’d hate to see him go one-on-one against the Death Star. And so really that’s about influences you know where you sit. You know Emperor’s here and how close can you get? And I think Krennic is going for that number. And I mean, I think he regards Darth as you know the emperor’s kind of pet and you know he’s all fascinated with him and stuff like that. He’s a very impressive dude but there’s a bit of like this going on there as well you know whatever…..a very important figurehead. But in terms of the strategies and what we actually have to get done you know whatever. He’s a great car, you know? But someone’s got to drive it.

I think what he’s trying to say here is that personality wise his character is much darker than Darth Vader. At this point Darth Vader has become a puppet to Palpatine, a pet. When he was asked what challegnes he faced while filming. While they were filming in Iceland it was “absolutely prohibitively freezing” and in the beginning he had to convince himself that “I’ve Got This” which became easier as he found himself surrounded by death troopers and other members of the Empire. Plus like he said before, he has an awesome costume.

I can’t wait to see Rogue One in theaters this weekend. It opens on Friday.