The real-world search for Disney’s young Han Solo character involved numerous casting calls and dozens of Hollywood’s brightest talents, and eventually settled on on critically acclaimed up-and-comer Alden Ehrenreich for the role of space’s greatest outlaw.
But, at least according to a recently shared clip on Conan O’Brien’s TBS-based talk show, that search also involved Melissa McCarthy, Bill Hader, Jeff Goldblum, Will Arnett, Adam Sandler, Jodie Foster, 50 Cent, and Silicon Valley stars Thomas Middleditch and Kumail Nanjiani.
“So is this like a big spoiler? Like Han Solo, when he was young, was he Pakistani?” declares Nanjiani as soon as he appears on screen.
In the hilarious parody audition reel, each of the actors brings something different to the role. Bill Hader pretends to be an angsty teen, Melissa McCarthy rips up the set, and Will Arnett throws some Batman into the mix, demonstrating why each of them probably weren’t pick for Hollywood’s most buzzed-about role of 2016.
The real young Han Solo, Ehrenreich, has had a short but extremely star-studded career, and having worked for many of the industry’s top directors. He was discovered at a friend’s bat mitzvah reception by Stephen Spielberg by way of a self-made comedy short, and went on to appear in Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro, Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine, and the Coen brothers’ Hail, Caesar! before being picked for the upcoming Lucasfilm role.
Ehrenreich was announced as the official young Han Solo this month, though rumors about the studio’s official choice had been circulating since May.
If anything, team Coco’s recent parody does well to shore up the studio’s choice. Because as far as young Han Solos go, he’ll probably do a better job with the role than Adam Sandler, who apparently would just googly-speak his way through each line.
