‘Star Wars’: 8 Actors Who Nearly Played Han Solo

by

Harrison Ford is iconic as Han Solo, appearing in five Star Wars films and becoming synonymous with the character. While Alden Ehrenreich played a younger Solo in Solo: A Star Wars Story, and different actors voiced him in the Forces of Destiny animated series, most fans will always think of Harrison Ford when they picture Han Solo.

While Harrison Ford became famous for playing Han Solo, first introduced in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, he wasn’t the only actor considered for the role. The American Film Institute ranked Solo as one of the greatest film heroes of all time, and many big names were up for the part. Director George Lucas originally didn’t want to cast anyone who’d been in his previous film, American Graffiti, even though Ford had done well in auditions. Ultimately, though, Ford was the one who landed the iconic role.

8
Al Pacino


Paramount Pictures

Al Pacino became a major Hollywood star after his performance as Michael Corleone in the first two Godfather films. He shared at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival that he was considered for several iconic roles, including Han Solo. Pacino explained he wasn’t asked to audition; he was simply given the script and a potential offer, but he ultimately decided to pass on the opportunity.

Al Pacino admitted he didn’t understand the script, a sentiment he’s expressed many times, including in his autobiography. He even shared it with his mentor, Charlie Laughton, who felt the same way. However, Pacino’s decision not to take the role seems to have been based more on his personal tastes than on confusion about the story. Throughout his career, he’s only appeared in one science fiction film, S1m0ne, hinting he’s not a big fan of the genre. He later joked at a 2023 event that his turning down the role helped launch Harrison Ford’s career.

7
Sylvester Stallone


United Artists

Sylvester Stallone once auditioned for the role of Han Solo, but George Lucas wasn’t interested in working with him. Stallone has often described the audition as a failure, recalling in interviews – including on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon while promoting The Expendables 3 – that Lucas seemed completely uninterested, avoiding eye contact and appearing distant. Stallone decided not to bother reading lines, sensing he wouldn’t get the part.

It might have just been a matter of bad timing. Although Rocky was released a year before Star Wars, Sylvester Stallone wasn’t famous yet when the Star Wars casting calls happened, so George Lucas didn’t know who he was. Lucas likely doesn’t regret his decision, but he would have given Stallone more consideration if the timing had been different. Stallone himself feels like everything happened for the best, as he went on to become a huge action star in the ’80s and ’90s. He probably wouldn’t have been able to make First Blood if he’d played Han Solo, and who knows what the world would be like without Stallone as Rambo?

6
Burt Reynolds


New Line Cinema

You won’t believe the roles Burt Reynolds turned down! He famously said no to James Bond, can you imagine? But the one that really surprised me was Han Solo. Apparently, he was offered the part, but just wasn’t interested. As he told Business Insider a few years back, he ‘just didn’t want to play that kind of role’ at that point in his career. It just goes to show, even huge stars aren’t always looking for the biggest blockbuster – sometimes they just want something different.

It’s tough to say if Burt Reynolds would have been a good fit for the role, but he definitely should have taken it. While Reynolds was a fantastic actor, he never quite reached true international superstardom – he remained beloved in America, but not globally. A role like Han Solo could have changed that. Despite some career missteps, he’s still fondly remembered by many, especially older generations.

5
Christopher Walken


DreamWorks Pictures

Christopher Walken recently shared that he auditioned for Star Wars, but didn’t think he had much of a chance. He told The Financial Times that around 500 actors were trying out for roles. Walken expressed his relief that Harrison Ford ultimately landed the part, saying he would have been a poor fit. He also remembered screen-testing with a young Jodie Foster, who was hoping to play Princess Leia, but a contract with Disney prevented her from getting the role.

It’s difficult to imagine Christopher Walken as Han Solo. He usually plays serious and slightly creepy characters, not the charming and witty type. Luckily, things turned out great for him anyway. Though he didn’t get to visit Tatooine, he won an Oscar just a year later for The Deer Hunter. And years later, he finally got to be in a space saga, playing Emperor Shaddam IV in Dune: Part Two.

4
Robert Englund


Anchor Bay/Courtesy Everett Collection

Robert Englund’s path to becoming Han Solo is a curious story. He initially went to a casting call hoping to land a role in Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now. Although he didn’t get the part, a producer told him that George Lucas was holding auditions for a science fiction film nearby. Englund was intrigued, as he’d enjoyed Lucas’s American Graffiti. He recalls the casting directors only taking a few photos of him and never asking him to read any lines. Ultimately, he wasn’t chosen for the role.

It’s hard to imagine anyone regretting how things turned out, especially Robert Englund and his fans. He went on to become famous for playing the unforgettable Freddy Krueger. Interestingly, his experience also helped Mark Hamill. While at an audition, Englund saw the script for Luke Skywalker and immediately thought Hamill would be a perfect fit. Hamill’s agent had mentioned the role, but Englund’s confirmation convinced him to go for it – and the rest, as they say, is history.

3
Glynn Turman


Kent Smith / ©Audience Network / Courtesy: Everett Collection

In the mid-1970s, Glynn Turman, who was well-known for his role in Cooley High, auditioned for Star Wars. He later discovered, while reading the book Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas, that he was being considered for the part of Han Solo. However, George Lucas ultimately decided against casting him, fearing backlash over a potential interracial relationship between a Black Han Solo and Carrie Fisher’s white Princess Leia.

Was Lucas right to make the choices he did? In his autobiography, he explained he didn’t want the film to become a source of controversy like the 1967 movie Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, which dealt with an interracial relationship. It’s a valid point to discuss. Meanwhile, actor Turman wasn’t upset about being left out, and later joked he expected to receive a share of Harrison Ford’s success. Fortunately, Turman’s career flourished, and he went on to star in many highly-praised shows, including The Wire.

2
James Caan


Paramount Pictures

George Lucas was enthusiastic about his ambitious space adventure and wanted James Caan to play Han Solo. Caan was one of the few well-known actors who Lucas approached directly, hoping to attract a big name to the project. However, Caan wasn’t interested, as he preferred serious, dramatic roles. He later jokingly suggested on The Howard Stern Show that Lucas wasn’t looking for a skilled actor, which is why he ended up casting Harrison Ford instead.

Subscribe for casting deep dives on movie legends

Join the newsletter to unlock curated stories about Hollywood casting and the decisions that shaped film history. By subscribing you’ll get deep, story-driven coverage of near-misses, alternate castings, and the career turns that defined iconic roles.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s
Terms of Use
and
Privacy Policy
. You can unsubscribe anytime.

I’m not entirely following what Sonny was getting at, but it’s easy to forget just how decorated Harrison Ford is – Oscar and Emmy nominations! He really is an actor, isn’t he? I often wonder if James Caan could have pulled off that role. While his take on the character wouldn’t have had Ford’s same charm, I think he’d have brought a different, compelling energy to it. Honestly, I can’t think of a single bad performance from Caan – I doubt he’d have had any trouble with Star Wars either.

1
Nick Nolte


Universal Pictures

Mackenzie Nolte auditioned for the role in Solo, and he later said he probably would have been a somewhat silly character in the Star Wars universe – which he thought could have worked. Ultimately, though, the filmmakers wanted an actor who could portray both a tough, realistic side and a comedic side, so they chose Harrison Ford.

Nick Nolte is a strong dramatic actor, demonstrated by his three Academy Award nominations, and he likely would have delivered a compelling performance as Solo. Fortunately, being passed over for that role wasn’t the end of his involvement with Star Wars. He later found success voicing Kuiil, a wise and rough-around-the-edges Ugnaught farmer in The Mandalorian. Kuiil became a fan favorite, largely thanks to his memorable catchphrase, “I have spoken,” which he often used to conclude a discussion.

Read More

2026-01-13 03:35