Advertisement
I’m sorry, but Kelsey Grammer will forever be etched in my mind as Frasier Crane. However, long before he assumed that iconic role, in a galaxy far, far away, he had an opportunity to become a part of the Star Wars legacy. Let’s just say, the audition didn’t quite hit the mark.
The original Star Wars trilogy stands as almost cinematic perfection, and it’s hard to fathom how Grammer could have fit into the mix alongside luminaries like Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, who embodied Luke Skywalker and Han Solo so brilliantly.
Nonetheless, Grammer gave it a shot. He recounted his experience during an appearance on the In Depth podcast earlier this year, revealing that he attended an open casting call for a new sci-fi film. Unfortunately, he never received any follow-up.
Grammer vividly described how he was directed to visit a man with a grand vision. “I walk around and knock on the door, sure enough, they call me in, and I sit down, and there is… I didn’t know him at the time, George Lucas,” Grammer recalled. “[He said] ‘We’re making this thing… a fairytale in space. You know, two guys rescue a princess.’ Great, sounds like fun. So he said, ‘You’re right for… well, there’s two parts… maybe the older guy. He’s kind of, you know, a gunslinging kind of guy… an adventurer.”
Despite Lucas seeing potential in Grammer, the actor never received any further communication. In fact, he didn’t realize what he had missed out on until he watched Star Wars himself. “I’m watching a little bit longer, and holy shit, this is that movie. This is that thing the guy told me about. It’s them… Oh, my god. And, you know, I either dodged a bullet or missed a really big opportunity,” he added.
I’d venture to say it’s the Star Wars fans who dodged a bullet. While I adore Grammer’s portrayal of Frasier Crane, the notion of him as Han Solo feels strangely out of place. While Grammer might capture the character’s sarcastic edge, Harrison Ford brought a unique charm and likability to the scruffy nerf herder that Grammer might not have replicated.
As for Luke Skywalker, it’s hard to imagine Grammer convincingly embodying the young, wide-eyed farmer who’s just setting out on his path to becoming a Jedi Master. His presence exudes a certain gravitas that might only lend itself to a wiser, more seasoned Jedi or perhaps even a cantankerous old Star Wars villain. Who knows, perhaps the upcoming Star Wars films might make this a reality?