Many know Alan Tudyk as the beloved character Hoban “Wash” Washburne of Firefly and movie Serenity. He plays K-2SO in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. K-2SO was a Security Droid for the Galatic Empire. Its specialty was creating strategic battle plans. It is not known when or where the droid met Rebel Alliance Captain Cassian Andor, or how the driod became his co-pilot.
Alan was faced with a challenging role. He was the new droid on the block and had to win the fans’ respect. You can’t avoid drawing comparisons to C-3PO (Mark Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) , Star Wars’ much-beloved and iconic droids. However, Alan was was certainly up-to-the-task. He embraced the role, to mark K-2SO’s place in Star Wars history. What I enjoyed most is K-2SO’s attitude. It was raw, unfiltered, and acerbic, clearly a stark contrast from Daniel’s and Baker’s portrayals of droids.
Technology has progressed since Star Wars: A New Hope (1977). Alan didn’t have to don a suit, like Daniels did. Motion capture was used to give K-2SO life. Daniels had to endure a full-body, plastic suit that was stifling hot during filming Star Wars: A New Hope in Tunisia. Motion capture uses a suit that is breathable and can be worn over clothing. Markers are attached to a velcro-friendly surface, to create custom marker sets and skeletons. Additionally, a velcro beanie cap and shoes are used. It’s character rigging in real-life. It was a treat to witness the evolution of technology used, to help fans suspend disbelief. I’m certain I’m not the only who breathed a sigh of relief that they didn’t make K-2SO CGI!
Check out the interview of Alan Tudyk on Conan O’Brien’s show.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghZ-wX1RWRE”]
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