Lightsabers excite almost all Star Wars fans. But during the filming of Episode 1, George Lucas had to impose a ban because Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor couldn’t control themselves.
Many fans take Star Wars very seriously, especially when the franchise does not continue according to their ideas. But inside every fan is also a kid who wants to conquer the galaxy with a lightsaber or blaster. Liam Neeson (96 Hours) and Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting) are no exception, as director George Lucas discovered while filming Star Wars: Episode I – The Dark Menace.
Star Wars maker George Lucas had to reprimand actors during Episode 1 filming
Neeson and McGregor play Jedi duo Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi in Episode 1, who must use their lightsabers against the nasty Federation and eventually the Sith Darth Maul (Ray Park). As Neeson reveals on the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, he and McGregor got a little too carried away with their Jedi roles in the process.
“The first time we used the lightsabers to fight, we both automatically made [the lightsaber sound]. George was like, ‘Cut! Guys, we can put that in after the fact. “
No full-bodied lightsaber buzz, then, for Neeson and McGregor. Whether their colleague Natalie Portman had a similar problem with her blaster pistol is unknown.
