On friday, september 23; 2005, I had the honor to interview Mr. Anthony Daniels in Nieuwegein, the Netherlands.
He is better known as C-3PO, the golden protocol droid he played in all 6 StarWars movies.
Mr. Daniels was in the Netherlands to attend the ScreenHeroes Convention. Being a fan since 1983, it was a great honor, especially because I had the job of assisting him during the event. It turned out to be a memorable experience; Mr. Daniels is a true gentleman, it was a dream coming true for me.

Here is the interview:


Besides the movies, you also did various other StarWars related things: the Droids animation series, commercials, a radioplay, you wrote the Wondercolumn for StarWars Insider Magazine, too many things to mention. Why this devotion for StarWars?

I've been very lucky that the character C-3PO lends himself to communicate with people. 3PO is a communicator, he lives and longs to speak. I share this; I've been the only actor to appear in all 6 StarWars movies and part of that leads me to want to share the good experiences and some of the bad ones with the fans. I can write, I can speak...why not do this then?

I mentioned the Wondercolumn you wrote for StarWars Insider, why did you quit writing this?

I guess I ran out of nice things to say. (grins)

Does that make you a bitter man?

(Thinks for a very long time) No. (Smiles)

Did you have any problems with the Insider?

O no! Dan Madsen (Chief of the Insider) is amazing, he does a great job for the magazine. Fantastic person he is...Dan organized the first StarWars Celebration, he is superb.

I see you have the 12 inch C-3PO figure with you. There are dozens of C-3PO related items. You must have a favorite item.

Yes! It's the beanie baby, unfortunately I didn't bring it with me. (Picks up the 12 inch C-3PO) (To the C-3PO figure: Why didn't I bring it with me?)
It's funny, it's witty. My least favorite item is the cello tape dispenser; it's disgusting!

So, you did like the underoos? (Underwear with C-3PO's image)


(Begins to laugh heavily) You really know what you're talking about!
Yeah, I've done some really stupid things like the C-3PO breakfast cereal; a truly disgusting product, it tasted so sweet.

It wasn't available in the Netherlands.

You're very lucky.
I have the last remaining box on earth...unopened...and one day, when I get really bitter, I will go to a high place and open it...(with a deep, dark voice) and destroy the planet...

The world will crack when I open it. The box is beautiful, what's inside is, well...

C-3PO has lent himself to many products, some good, some bad. My proudest thing is that I have been in an anti-smoking commercial.

Well, I can recall of photo of you, that was made in 1976 in Tunisia while filming A New Hope, in which you are smoking while being in the C-3PO costume!


Yeah, someone stuck a cigarette in the mouth of C-3PO's helmet. Bad move. I'm very anti-smoking, children shouldn't smoke. The commercial was for the American Health Department; it shows C-3PO who sees smoke and finds out R2-D2 is on fire. He explains that smoking is bad for your health.

Cyborg vs Cyborg Relations. Suppose there's a fight between the Terminator (Cyborg) 3PO (Cyborg Relations)...

3PO wouldn't dream of fighting. It the dumbest, stupidest most moronic thing to do. Unfortunately we have a huge example in the world right now.

Well, 3PO has been in some fights.

Yes, in the background. However, in Episode II...

You were using a gun!

But with a battledroid-body! You see, 3PO is a nice guy, I'm his dark side, I always felt he wanted to have a gun. I talked about this with George, so there I am, in an empty sand-pit with blue-screen, and there is only me walking towards the camera with the gun. I had my 3PO helmet on, the rest of my body would be done digitally. They shouted 'Action' and I went (acts like he is using a gun), but it didn't work, so I went doing (acts like he is shooting and makes a rifle noise). I said my lines in the dubbing studio, when I said it, everyone including George fell apart. (Makes a Scarface imitation) 'Die motherf*ckers!' (Laughs heavily). To hear C-3PO say this....the camera shaked! But 3PO felt a lot better.

So, no fighting. 3PO would explain to the Terminator that maybe he should think about his behavior.

On your website (www.AnthonyDaniels.com) there is a section called 'the Dark Side', about people that forge your autograph to make some money. Any specific reason why you included this section on your site?

When I was creating the site I was thinking what should be on it. It could include things I wrote, photos of me, and things that fans have done.
It should also have information. I was very surprised when I found out that people forged. I was shocked, I was naive. What shocks me is that StarWars is a wonderful phenomenon but around the edges of it, there are many sleazy people. Sleazy fans, sleazy forgers, sleazy organizers of events. It spoils the whole thing.

Suppose you run into a forger of your autograph at a convention. What would you do?

I would ask them loudly why they are selling a fake. I was a witness for the FBI 2 years ago. They showed me a picture of my autograph and asked me if it was real. The forger got 3 years for forging loads of autographs from many people.   

Things like this spoil the whole joy of StarWars. Somebody once stole a check of mine from the post...the only thing they didn't change was the signature! (grins)

You are one of the few actors that actually has something like this on a website.

Well, most actors don't care. It doesn't affect them. I get hate-mail saying: 'How do you know it's not your signature?'
I don't do many conventions, I get asked a lot, but I chose not to attend many. Maybe that's why they forge?

Any specific reason for not attending many conventions?

Several. Maybe someday I'll share them.
There are some badly organized conventions, they haven't thought about how to entertain the visitors.

In 1976, when 'A New Hope' was filmed, you had to wear the C-3PO costume for the first time. The costume hurt a lot back then. For the prequels, you had to wear it again. Did they change it so that it didn't hurt anymore?

Very little, it still hurts. (looks sad)
Don Bies moved the holes in the neck a bit, so I didn't choke easily. He also made the chest a little bigger, because I work out. Besides that, it's exactly the same costume. They're not gonna spend loads of money on a new costume!

Why? You're one of the principal characters!

Producers like to save money.

Even when they're called Rick McCallum?

Especially when they're called Rick McCallum.

George Lucas has a StarWars TV-series in mind, not an animated series, but a live-action series. Any chance of seeing you as C-3PO or as another character?

Very early to say...we'll have to see. I've been doing this for nearly 30 years and there comes a point when you think 'Do I still want to do this?' I'll have to think about it, and see with what George will come up.

You mean that there's a chance you will quit acting altogether?

I certainly find my interests going in other directions these days, there are other things than being in science fiction movies. I have a very nice life that I enjoy.

So, what are you doing right now besides acting?

I just got back from Ohio, there's been a concert where they took several pieces of music from every movie. I stand there in my gold jacket, with the book in my hands and start off with: 'A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...' (makes exploding sound). And I tell the whole story, with the music playing. It is magical. We had 24,000 people in Ohio, 2 nights in a row. For me, to be there, is just amazing.

Also, I'll be going to Boston. The Science Museum there have an exhibition: 'StarWars: where science meets imagination'. I will be there with scientists who have become a scientist because of StarWars. They make machines that go to the moon to explore and I want to talk with them about this, but they just want to talk about StarWars (grins).

I've also been involved in the exhibition in Japan; the Art of StarWars, which I hosted. So, there are loads of spin-offs that have more to do with the technical part than with the movies itself.

3PO and I share the ability to present. I'll be opening the gala in Boston, where George will be the special guest. We are gonna have fun.

Back to the movies: who's your favorite actor?

Alec Guinness.........died. (Thinks for a long time) Jimmy Smits. Wonderful! He was very upset in the last movie because he gave the order to have 3PO's memory wiped. He said: 'I don't wanna say this!' He was very touching, he really liked 3PO.

Hayden Christensen. Just absolutely delightful. Ewan McGregor, wonderful. We had great fun and laughs.

Anyone from the old trilogy?

You can't ask me who's my favorite...Harrison (Ford) is the big star now. Mark (Hamill) was always very easy to be with. Loads of good people.

You mentioned the fact that 3PO's memory is wiped. In Episode I we find out that Anakin built him. Back when the prequels didn't exist, it was a mystery where 3PO came from. Now, this mystery is gone. Do you think that's a shame?

Not at all, quite the opposite! I was quite shocked when I found out; I had a meeting with George and he said 'You are made by Anakin'. I was thinking that's really nice, I always got along fine with Alec Guinness. Two days later I realised it was the other person. (Laughs) I think it's a neat twist that a good character like 3PO is made by a big baddie. I always thought that 3PO came off a production line. Knowing Anakin and knowing what happens to him makes 3PO even more interesting. He doesn't even know! (points at the 3PO figure he is holding). He would self-destruct if he knew. So, don't tell him.

I won't.
Thanks for the interview!