Mr. Billy Dee Williams put in an appearance at Wizard Entertainment's Anaheim comic con to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back and all things Star Wars on Saturday, April 17th.
At a panel devoted entirely to Mr. Williams and the Star Wars saga's most beloved chapter, fans learned that director, Irvin Kershner, and screenwriter, Lawrence Kasdan, worked together for an entire year on the script ALONE. (Hear that, Mr. Lucas?)
Billy Dee Williams spoke to the delighted crowd about how proud he was to be a part of the Star Wars universe and to have played the role of Lando Calrissian, saying that the experience was "very rewarding."
For him, Lando Calrissian was a "good looking, rogue-ish character," he added; "When I got that cape-- I said: 'Yeah!"
When asked by one earnest fan what the logic was for having his character wear Han Solo's costume in the attack on the Death Star in Return of the Jedi, Mr. Williams chuckled and replied: "I was not aware I was wearing Han Solo's clothes until I run into people like you."
Always the gentleman, Billy Dee Williams would not say what his craziest fan experience had been, however, he quickly added: "But, I love the ladies!"
Aside from his work in movies and television, Mr. Williams is an accomplished artist and painter. His website gives a detailed biography of his work and looks at past exhibitions as well as prints currently available for purchase.
One fan asked how it felt as an African-American to play such an important role in a cultural phenomenon like Star Wars, but Mr. Williams was quick to point out that his approach was devoid of the question of ethnicity, "When you start doing the whole ethnic thing, you put limitations on yourself. I've always tried to present myself as an individual with special qualities."
Here's to 30 years of The Empire Strikes Back, Billy Dee Williams and the character Han Solo described like this: "He's a card player, gambler, scoundrel. You'd like him."
And indeed we do!
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