Rumors and possible casting choices for “Star Wars: Episode VII” have started to leak out, with no piece more important than who will be taking the lead in the new movie. And while we were able to report that five actors are possibilities for the lead good-guy Jedi, only one choice is the right choice: Jesse Plemons. Here’s why:
Home On The Range
Plemons has shown an insane amount of range in his performances, from awkward nice guy Landry on “Friday Night Lights,” to dead-eyed embodiment of evil Todd on “Breaking Bad.” Any “Star Wars” movie will throw its Jedi hero into the eternal pull between the Dark and Light sides of the Force; Plemons has proven he can play both brilliantly.
Surprise Romantic Lead
You wouldn’t picture Plemons as the romantic lead type, but on “Friday Night Lights” his considerable charm snagged the hottest girl in school… Twice, as his character dated both Adrianne Palicki and Jurnee Smollett. And then more recently, he successfully smooched Mae Whitman on a “Parenthood”/”Friday Night Lights” crossover.
Though romance isn’t totally necessary to the lead Jedi part in a “Star Wars” movie, even Luke got some action in his day? Even if it was with his sister.
He’s Relatable
At the same time, Plemons has an instantly relatable every-man quality. He’s not a hulking action hero, he’s a regular guy audiences can instantly identify with. If J.J. Abrams is looking to capture some of that Luke Skywalker quality from the first movie, Plemons is your man.
…But Is He Related?
Speaking of which, is he related to Mark Hamill? We know the new trilogy connects to the old, and possibly even features Hamill and company reprising their roles. If you want an actor to play Luke Skywalker’s son, look no further than Jesse Plemons. Seriously, just look at him. He’s like a young Mark Hamill. It’s weird.
He Knows Action
Granted it wasn’t the most successful movie of all time, but Plemons has experience working on a mega-budget picture after his role in “Battleship.” The other candidates have some of that experience, but anchoring a franchise like “Star Wars” isn’t something you want to throw an actor into blind. For reference on how casting untrained actors could go wrong, see the three “Star Wars” prequels.
He’s Comfortable With Wide Open Expanses
From the open plains of Texas (and its giant football fields), to the deserts of New Mexico, Plemons knows what its like to be in a stark, empty atmosphere. You know, like space. Alternately, one could argue we’ve already seen him on the Earth-bound equivalent of Tatooine, a.k.a. Alberquerque. Oh! And blue meth is like blue milk. Done deal.
We Want To See Him Kick Adam Driver’s Butt What do you think? Is Plemons the perfect Padawan, or do you prefer one of the other choices? We’ll know more, as “Star Wars: Episode VII” begins production soon.
What could be better than seeing Landry Clarke battle “
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