Domhnall Gleeson Says Harry Potter Helped Prepare Him For Star Wars

Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson’s most known to the masses for playing the repulsive General Hux, the First Order leader, in the modern Star Wars films – he’s already ticked off The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi and still has Episode IX to go. Effectively, he’s the contemporary version of Grand Moff Tarkin, but the actor’s brought a cruelty and sliminess to the part that’s all his own.

This isn’t the first major franchise that Gleeson’s appeared in, however, as he’s also part of the Harry Potter saga – as is his dad, Brendon Gleeson. He previously turned up in both parts of The Deathly Hallows as Bill Weasley, Ron’s older brother. Bill was a completely different character to Hux, as he was a dashing, heroic sort of guy. However, Gleeson believes his time in the Wizarding World helped prepare him for his turn in Star Wars.

While speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Gleeson explained that The Deathly Hallows movies lessened the pressure when it came to travelling to that galaxy far, far away, as he realized you can’t control whatever intense reaction the hardcore fans will have to the movie you’re making and just have to focus on playing the part the best way you can.

“Harry Potter was the best possible training for that. I felt a little worried about fan reaction, but you can’t control that; all you can do is your job. General Hux is ridiculous in lots of ways, but not in a hilarious way. But just anything to do with that level of…what’s the word? Pomp and all the rest of it, the higher reigns of military, all the badges and the medals. At a certain point you say, ‘Why is that man wearing that hat? That doesn’t make him more powerful.'”

In contrast to fans’ – and Gleeson’s own – expectations, Hux survived The Last Jedi whereas big boss Supreme Leader Snoke was chopped in two by his treacherous protege Kylo Ren. Hux didn’t agree with this new arrangement but Ren’s temperamental nature and command of the Force left him without any choice but to fall in line with his new Supreme Leader. As such, it’ll certainly be interesting to see what’s next for Hux in Star Wars: Episode IX.