[h2]2. Josh Holloway [/h2]
The recent suggestions that, given Abrams’ involvement with the project, Josh Holloway should be hired to play Han Solo (the two worked together on ABC’s Lost) are asinine and thoughtless – you do not, under any circumstances, recast Han friggin’ Solo – but it is true that Holloway would be a more than perfect fit for the Star Wars franchise. Much of the series was originally conceived around basic Western archetypes, and in his years on Lost, Holloway proved himself to be one of the most compelling and talented anti-hero performers of the modern era. He should not play Han Solo, but if he played a character who filled a similar function, Episode VII would be stronger for it. Part of what made the prequel trilogy so underwhelming is that it lacked the rogue, cynical energy Harrison Ford lent the original films. Star Wars is a space opera, and operates on such a vast level of fantasy and impossibility that a grounded, sarcastic voice actually humanizes the action in profound ways.
Holloway could fulfill that function spectacularly, and is such a gifted actor that he could do so without simply recreating Han Solo. He has undeniable star power, and while the qualities he displayed on Lost are definitely Ford-esque, his talent is unique and identifiably singular. Abrams will need someone on board who does not belong to a clear, easy bubble – Jedi or Sith, Dark side or light – and Holloway is as good a choice as any to satisfy that need.
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