Watch ‘Rogue One’ Star Riz Ahmed Take on ‘Star Wars’ Fan Theories
In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Riz Ahmed plays Rebel Alliance pilot Bodhi Rook, a man as knowledgeable as he is hotheaded. That characterization presents a conundrum for Rolling Stone‘s “Fan Theory Exploder” series: We know he’s filled with crucial secrets, but is he willing to reveal any?
Armed with a droll sense of humor and some cagey facial expressions, Ahmed responds to whatever a variety of “what if” scenarios. The first one is a doozy: “Donnie Yen’s blind warrior, Chirrut Îmwe, will face off with Vader,” which the actor understands since “neither of [the characters] can really see where they’re going.”
Elsewhere, Ahmed point-blank denies a cameo appearance from widely despised Jar Jar Binks as a “loose-lipped informant” (“I don’t think that qualifies as a ‘spoiler alert.’ It’s kind of the opposite of a spoiler – it will probably increase your enjoyment of the film”). And he appears perplexed by the prospect of an “Indiana Jones-style romp through a Jedhan market, complete with Jyn hiding inside a bantha milk vessel.”
“I’m going to be real – I don’t know what a ‘bantha milk vessel’ is,” he says. “Hopefully that’s not a weird euphemism for something.”
One theory hits close to the truth: “Felicity Jones’ rebel, Jyn Erso, will survive the mission, going on to become Rey’s mother in Episode VIII.” The actor responds with a blank-faced expression, sliding the card slowly onto the floor.
Ahmed, jokingly, also teases a scrapped appearance from Jedi Master Yoda, whose “five-minute ‘Previously on…'” intro was scheduled to replace the iconic opening credits crawl.
“Yoda wouldn’t come out of his trailer,” he jokes. “Very difficult to work with, difficult guy. I don’t mind putting that on the record.”
Rogue One hits theaters Friday, December 16th.