Star Wars actor Anthony Daniels was originally "insulted" to be offered part of C-3PO

Anthony Daniels has been there from the very beginning of Star Wars, but it turns out he wasn't originally convinced by it all.

Speaking to Digital Spy and other media, the C-3PO actor has revealed that his long-running connection to the series is "very odd", given his initial reaction to the role of the anxious droid.

"It's very odd because I didn't want the interview with George Lucas. I was insulted to be offered the part, or to discuss the part of a robot in a low budget science fiction film," Daniels recalled.

"My agent made me go, and here I am today. I am now a heritage player. I have to get this right, because I keep calling us heirloom players, which I'm told is a type of vegetable, or tomato. It's Harrison [Ford], Mark Hamill, Billy [Dee Williams] and I – and more.

"So there you go. It is odd to be the observer, against my will originally, but now with amazement."

We can't say we blame Daniels for his initial wariness as no one could have seen its success coming. George Lucas knew what he was doing though – and we can't imagine anyone else in the role.

The actor has previously spoken about feeling that C-3PO had been "slightly sidelined" in the new trilogy.

However, as the final trailer for The Rise of Skywalker teased, C-3PO has a major part to play in the climactic chapter of the Skywalker Saga. But why is the droid saying goodbye to Rey and co?

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker has a release date of December 19 in the UK and December 20 in the US.

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Ian Sandwell

Movies Editor, Digital Spy  Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor.  Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world.   After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.