Wedge Antilles Won't Return For 'Star Wars: Episode VII' Because Denis Lawson Is 'Bored' By It

Why You Won't See This Beloved Minor Character In The New 'Star Wars'

We spent the better part of two years waiting to see if Princess Leia, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker would star in "Episode VII," but it turns out J.J. Abrams attempted to tap into the much deeper well of characters from the original "Star Wars" trilogy. Denis Lawson played top-notch Rebel Alliance pilot Wedge Antilles, and this weekend he revealed that Abrams approached him about reprising the role in the forthcoming movie.

"I’m not going to do that," Lawson told The Courier in the U.K. while promoting "The Machine." "They asked me, but it just would have bored me."

Tough break, J.J. Abrams. Of course, there's no indication of how significant Wedge Antilles' role would have been in "Episode VII." Despite being a minor character in the original trilogy, he remains a beloved "Star Wars" figure, having saved Luke's life during the Battle of Yavin in "A New Hope" and led the fighter attack on the Death Star in "Return of the Jedi."

Coincidentally enough, Lawson's nephew is Ewan McGregor, who played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequel trilogy. Still, the family ties, not to mention a film on which George Lucas serves as a creative consultant, weren't enough to lure the actor back. Since "Star Wars," Lawson has starred mostly on British programs, including the BBC's 2005 "Bleak House" miniseries and alongside Ben Whishaw in the miniseries "Criminal Justice."

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