Dont look now, but a pair of scruffy-looking nerf herders just had a very auspicious reunion. On Saturday, Alden Ehrenreich sat down with Entertainment Tonight for an interview about Solo: A Star Wars Story. During the chat, he discussed his first (and only) meeting with Harrison Ford, and the importance of getting the former Han Solos blessing for the prequel film. When asked if there was anything he wished he could ask Ford now, Ehrenreich thought it over . . . before Ford himself strutted into the room to surprise him, flanked by Solo director Ron Howard.
Ford and Ehrenreichs first exchange was an eloquent tango, a free lesson on the art of conversation:
“Youre shitting me,” Ehrenreich said. “Oh my god.”
“Get out of my chair,” Ford responded gruffly. “Get out of my life.”
But then they shook hands and hugged, exchanging some cutie-pie pleasantries. Ford stood right behind Ehrenreich and put his hands on the younger actors shoulders for the rest of the interview, holding him like a proud dad as he praised the film. “I just thought it was spectacular,” Ford said. “And I thought he was so smart about what he did and how he did it. I just couldnt be happier,” he added, his mouth set in a firm line—which, in Fordian manner, is practically a beaming smile. (Then again, in all actuality, this booze-fueled interview from last October is really the happiest Ford has ever been.)
Ford does seem genuinely chuffed with the way Solo turned out. There is, dare we say it, a devilish twinkle in his eye as he takes part in E.T.s TV schtick. Perhaps this is because Ford is finally free of real Star Wars responsibilities, no longer a part of the franchise that he famously looked down on for decades. (If Ehrenreich really wanted to nail those Fordisms, he would start referring to his character as “Ham Yoyo” and leave late-night interviews whenever the role is mentioned.) The O.G. Solo was finally killed off in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, putting an end to Fords long-running nightmare.
“I argued for 30 years for this to happen and finally, I wore em down,” he told Jimmy Kimmel in 2016, comparing his Star Wars gig to working at the same old company for decades. All it took was a lightsaber to the gut to kick him out of the core franchise forever. Now, Ford can do whatever he wants—even if that means gladly taking part in a little bit of viral Solo promo. Just dont expect him to attend the worldwide premiere of the film, because that would be too much.
Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Full ScreenPhotos:The Must-See Looks from the Solo PremiereYohana DestaYohana Desta is a Hollywood writer for VanityFair.com.
[contf] [contfnew] 
Vanity Fair
[contfnewc] [contfnewc]
