Star Wars' Anthony Daniels was initially 'insulted' to be offered the part of C-3PO

Danny Thompson
·Contributor
Updated
Anthony Daniels with C-3PO during "Star Wars": The Exhibition at County Hall in London, Great Britain. (Photo by Eamonn McCormack/WireImage)
Anthony Daniels with C-3PO during "Star Wars": The Exhibition at County Hall in London, Great Britain. (Photo by Eamonn McCormack/WireImage)

Anthony Daniels is best known as iconic humanoid robot C-3PO in the Star Wars franchise, but you may be shocked to learn the actor was initially “insulted” to be offered the part.

The 73-year-old has been a permanent fixture in the long-running franchise, appearing in the original movie, Star Wars, in 1977, and pretty much everything else related to the franchise, excluding Solo: A Star Wars Story. But he almost didn’t appear at all.

Speaking to Digital Spy, the star said: "It's very odd because I didn't want the interview with George Lucas. I was insulted to be offered the part, or to discuss the part of a robot in a low budget science fiction film.

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"My agent made me go, and here I am today. I am now a heritage player. It's Harrison [Ford], Mark Hamill, Billy [Dee Williams] and I – and more.

"So there you go. It is odd to be the observer, against my will originally, but now with amazement."

Despite his now obvious delight at deciding to take the role, Daniels had admitted he felt his character in the recent movies has been overlooked.

British actor Anthony Daniels (who plays C-3PO) with American director, screenwriter and producer George Lucas on the set of his movie Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
British actor Anthony Daniels (who plays C-3PO) with American director, screenwriter and producer George Lucas on the set of his movie Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope. (Photo by Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)

He told Good Morning America in April: "3PO has sort of remained the same. He depends very much on the circumstances he's placed in, because he's not a proactive character. He sort of reacts to all the stuff that's going on, generally with horror and so on.

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"But he has to be part of the main action to really function, and maybe that is something that you'll see in the next movie.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 16: Cast and crew including Anthony Daniels, Lupita Nyong'o, Warwick Davis, Gwendoline Christie, J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy, Max von Sydow, Peter Mayhew, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley and Oscar Isaac attend the European Premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in Leicester Square on December 16, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)

"In previous ones he's been slightly sidelined, people haven't quite known how to write him as the originals were written.

The conclusion of the Star Wars franchise is just around the corner, with the final instalment Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, due to be released in December of this year.