Billy Dee Williams brought Lando Calrissian to life in 1980's The Empire Strikes Back, entering the minds and hearts of Star Wars fans everywhere since. But amid reports of the development of a new movie based on Cloud City's suave administrator and eventual Rebel general, he had some light teasing to do to the character's young interpreter, Donald Glover, also known as Childish Gambino. Moreover, Glover portrayed Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story in 2018, and his take on a younger version of the character was pretty well-acclaimed despite other issues folks had with Solo. Yet Billy Dee thinks that the entertainer's performance stands on his massive shoulders.
"I had a nice little lunch with him," Billy Dee Williams told Radio Times magazine of Donald Glover. "He’s a delightful young man. Extremely talented. But I don’t see him… I mean, when it comes to Lando Calrissian, there’s only one Lando Calrissian. I created that character." However, he knows that Lando has to evolve with a new generation, so he offered Glover some advice to be more charming and mold the character to a new audience, set of demands, and artistic approach in the narrative. As the 86-year-old remarked, he already defined Lando in the 20th century, and now it's time for Gambino to do the same for the 21st century.
Donald Glover At A Solo Screening
Not only that, but Billy Dee Williams also suggested that there's one way that Disney could convince him to return to the role. "Pay me a lot of money and I’ll sell my soul," he told the publication. For those unaware, the entertainment company already did so for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker in 2019, for which the New York City native reprised his iconic portrayal of Lando Calrissian 36 years after his last appearance as the character in 1983's Return of the Jedi. We'll see if he ever sells his soul again.
Meanwhile, Childish Gambino is working on possibly remastering and re-releasing his 2020 album 3.15.20. While that's only based on social media teases, a lot of folks are expecting new music from him very soon. But if you're more into the 40-year-old's screen work, there's plenty more where that came from as of late. For more news and the latest updates on Billy Dee Williams and Donald Glover, stick around on HNHH.