David Prowse Was Ostracized During the Filming of ‘Star Wars’ for Leaking Information, but the Story is Much More Complex

by

This is an intriguing article that sheds light on the lengths taken by the production team of “Star Wars: Episode V & VI” to keep the story a secret and the unfortunate consequences faced by actor David Prowse due to a misunderstanding and a leak of information.

George Lucas’s Star Wars series forms a significant foundation in contemporary science fiction. Originally conceived as a moderate space saga, this project blossomed into an economically successful and massively popular franchise. Spanning several decades, Star Wars has engendered numerous generations of devoted followers, maintaining its position as one of the finest fictional realms ever constructed.

Despite the fact that the entire franchise has amassed a devoted fanbase with millions of members, there remains an allure to behind-the-scenes stories from the making of these movies, be it from the more recent installments or the original trilogy. The intriguing account we present today comes from the latter era.

The tale here centers around David Prowse, the man who physically brought Darth Vader to life in the initial Star Wars trilogy. Although Prowse’s voice and face were not hidden behind the iconic Sith Lord mask, he was still an integral part of the character. This article may shed light on why this was the case.

The tale we’re about to share is derived from various sources, some dating back and others recent. They revolve around allegations against Prowse during the production of the last films in the original Star Wars trilogy. It’s said that he was shunned due to rumors of him leaking information to the media, leading to Lucas and the producers’ displeasure. This piece explores the validity of these claims, separating fact from speculation.

In 1978, Prowse shockingly disclosed to fans in California that not only was a sequel to “Star Wars” being produced for a 1980 release, but a third film was also under development. Amidst rampant speculation about the first “Star Wars” sequel, this revelation from the man who brought Darth Vader to life ignited excitement and anticipation among fans, creating quite a stir.

Back then, Prowse shared something intriguing during an interview. He mentioned, “Father cannot slay son, son cannot slay father, thus they both resurface in ‘Star Wars IV’.” I was blown away. Star Wars IV? That wasn’t released until The Phantom Menace. But Vader being Luke’s father? In 1978, it was a complete mystery. This revelation left quite an impact on me and many other fans.

In the year 1978, before the era of the internet, David Prowse inadvertently revealed a major plot twist for the upcoming film “The Empire Strikes Back.” This occurred during an interview where he shared information about Darth Vader’s true identity – see the final two paragraphs below. Though this revelation did not spread widely at the time, George Lucas was infuriated and prohibited Prowse from attending any future Star Wars-related events.

— FilmFrame (@FilmFrameATRM) July 26, 2020

An article in a newspaper came out, disclosing all that Prowse had shared, which inevitably caused issues for him since Lucas and the producers had read it. According to Prowse himself, his remark about Vader and Luke was merely a fortunate guess – at that point, no script existed, and this detail was likely only known to Lucas, if anyone – and it might have been just that. An alternative explanation is that someone divulged this secret during the production process, and Prowse then spread the word.

Despite this, the incident was significant back then, and although the damage was contained initially, it served as a stark reminder for the team to be more vigilant about similar occurrences in the future. Consequently, they took stringent measures to prevent such incidents.

During the filming of “Episode V,” the scripts given to the actors lacked complete information. Notably, the pivotal line, “I am your father,” was kept concealed from everyone except for Lucas, producer Gary Kurtz, and director Irvin Kershner. According to multiple accounts from that era, Hamill was informed about his lines just before shooting, while Jones received his exact lines late in post-production.

Regarding David Prowse, there’s a dispute over which lines he actually spoke in a certain film. Some reports suggest that instead of the popularly quoted phrase, he was given different words to say or wasn’t given any line at all. To fact-check and clarify this matter further, you may want to explore the credible sources linked herein.

At that point in time, rumors swirled around and there was a risk of the entire secret being exposed in the official novelization weeks prior to the film’s release. However, they successfully maintained secrecy until the movie’s premiere. With this experience, the production team implemented more stringent measures when shooting began for Episode VI.

According to producer Howard Kazanjian’s account, there existed merely three full scripts of the production – one in Lucas’ possession, another with director Richard Marquand, and the last one held by Kazanjian himself. Actors were provided with individual scenes close to filming time, while potentially risky actors received deceptive copies filled with misinformation instead.

As a curious gamer peering behind the scenes of a production, I was determined to uncover who among us was spreading false information to the press. Kazanjian, our producer, confirmed that one unnamed colleague had leaked some misinformation, which eventually surfaced in newspapers and helped us track down the culprit. Initially, there were suspicions towards Prowse, but his confirmation of never having seen the complete scripts for Episodes V and VI doesn’t align with the facts we later discovered.

In 1982, there was a revelation in a British tabloid that Darth Vader would meet his demise in “Star Wars,” but this wasn’t a falsehood as Vader indeed passed away in “Episode VI.” Despite Prowse denying involvement, he was held accountable and faced social exclusion. He was substituted during the shooting of specific sequences, and when it was time for Vader’s face to be unmasked, Shaw took over the role instead. It’s also widely known that Prowse didn’t know his lines would be replaced by Jones’ voice in post-production, which left him feeling bitter and disillusioned.

The creation of episodes V and VI was notoriously intricate, as fans are well aware. Adding to the complexity was the fact that Prowse relished his newfound fame and frequently spoke with the press. However, it’s important to note that his insights on Vader were nothing more than a fortunate guess. This behavior of Prowse made the producers uneasy for valid reasons.

In the 1980s, Prowse found himself in a journalistic encounter with the press. The journalist had indicated beforehand that they would focus on his sports background. Unexpectedly, midway through the interview, the discussion pivoted to “Star Wars.” Caught off guard, Prowse later reflected:

That evening at the gym, he unexpectedly showed up and midway through our session, he remarked, “You’re aware that they’re planning to replace you as Darth Vader in this film, right? Another actor is taking over your role during the dying scene.” I retorted, “They wouldn’t do that – I’ve spent six long years portraying this character.” He requested to see my call sheet and upon checking, it read: “Dave Prowse, Darth Vader, Studio 1,” and beneath it, “Sebastian Shaw, Anakin Skywalker, Studio 10.”

Source: The Void

In the following day’s edition, the “Daily Mail” ran an article under the sensational headline: “I Revealed: Darth Vader Dies in Next Film, Says David Prowse.” However, George Lucas obtained a copy of the paper prior to Prowse sharing his perspective. Consequently, he was given credit for the scoop but faced isolation on set, an experience I firmly believe was far from pleasant.

In the end, it was revealed that the headline was deceiving and the journalist who conversed with Prowse admitted that the actor didn’t disclose the confidential information, instead, he obtained it from another person. Regrettably, Prowse bore the repercussions.

As a fan, I can tell you that this production of Star Wars is filled with intriguing enigmas and inconsistencies which may never be fully answered. Sadly, some key players like Prowse, who passed away in 2020, are no longer here to shed light on the situation. Other actors involved have moved on or chosen not to discuss it further. Regrettably, many questions about this fascinating behind-the-scenes tale of Star Wars remain unanswered. However, we’ve done our best to provide you with valuable insights into this captivating story.

Read More

2024-07-14 10:44