Stormblooper!
William and Harry cut out of new Star Wars movie ( but was it because they’re two inches too t all to be Stormtroopers?)
PRINCES William and Harry were the talk of Hollywood when The Mail on Sunday revealed they were playing Stormtroopers in the latest Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi. And with the pair unrecognisable behind full-face helmets, cinema goers had fun trying to guess where the Princes were positioned among the ranks of the intergalactic soldiers for the first Royal movie cameo. But now we can reveal they were cut from the final edit – because, say insiders, they are too tall. Harry is 6ft 1in and William an inch taller. A source said: ‘ Stormtroopers have to be exactly 5ft 11in. At the time we shot it I think the feeling was that the scene would make the final movie. ‘Everyone feels bad that William and Harry lost out on their big moment. However, the scene just didn’t work for the final cut so it was left out.’
William and Harry visited the set of Pinewood Studios in April 2016 to shoot the scene.
The pair were filmed inside a lift, and one of them slaps Benicio del Toro’s character DJ on the backside as he, along with rebels Rey and Finn – played by British actors Daisy Ridley and John Boyega – infiltrate a secret base.
Anthony Daniels, who plays C-3PO in the Star Wars films, told The Mail on Sunday the Princes were great company when they arrived at the studios.
Speaking at the Services To Film gala dinner in London last week, he said: ‘I was very enchanted by them – they are absolutely charismatic.’ The Princes were first told they were not in the film at its premiere at the Royal Albert Hall in December, but a source said they were ‘still gracious and fun all night’.
Boyega landed himself in hot water in December when he told ITV’s This Morning that the Royals had been cut from the final edit. Within hours his representative announced he was joking.
The actor had told the programme: ‘I did personally apologise to them [the Princes] yesterday and said, “Sorry you were cut out of the film.” And Will was like, “I probably just need to work more on the skills.” I was like, “Maybe, bruv.” ’
The Mail on Sunday also reported in December that pop star Ellie Goulding’s role as a rebel army soldier did not make it into the film.
Prince William will be back at the Royal Albert Hall for the Bafta awards next Sunday, where he will present a fellowship award to director Sir Ridley Scott.
Lucasfilm and Disney, which produced and distributed The Last Jedi, did not respond to requests for comment.
‘Everyone feels bad but the scene didn’t work’