Pip Andersen on his Role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Pip Andersen

The Force Awakens actor and professional parkour athlete Pip Andersen spoke with Red Carpet News TV and revealed some new details about his character in The Force Awakens.

 

 

It was rumored before that Anderesen will have a very brief appearance in the movie, but now the actor himself revealed that he spent significant time on set with Daisy Ridley and John Boyega. He also worked together with Harrison Ford and briefly touched on the movie’s pace, and of course the practical effects. 🙂

 

Andersen also discussed what it was like wearing his Star Wars costume. As you probably remember Pip did some mo-cap work at the Imaginarium back in October, but it was unclear if it was for TFA (HERE). From Pip’s words it appears that he will be wearing a regular costume since he did some fittings at Pinewood.

 

 

 

 
Transcript via Cantina member MagnarTheGreat:

 

Q: And of course it’s a special cast with new faces alongside some very familiar older faces. Did you get a chance on set to meet any of the well-known heroes of the franchise?

 

PA: Well Harrison [Ford] was probably the only one that I worked with on set as well as kind of talked to more. I didn’t get the chance to meet Mark [Hamill] at all which was a bit of a shame, but I did get to see almost all the other main characters do their thing so it was good fun.

 

PA: It felt very much like school almost, like we were kind of kidding with each other all the time. So me, Daisy, and John all kind of were around each other much more than I was with the more experienced guys. Yeah, it was good fun. It was really good. And Daisy and John both [are] absolutely lovely people.

 

 

Pip Andersen’s showreel:

 

 

 

 

So with Daisy Ridley’s gymnastic abilities and bojutsu, plus Pip Andersen’s and Christina Chong’s parkour skills, we can expect some really impressive action sequences in the movie.

 

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Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.

Born on April 24, 1980.

Val Trichkov (Viral Hide)

Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.Born on April 24, 1980.

38 thoughts on “Pip Andersen on his Role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

  • May 19, 2015 at 4:29 pm
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    Hopefully not too unrealistically choreographed. *cough* Darth Maul duel *cough*

    • May 19, 2015 at 4:56 pm
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      What is unrealistic? This is Star Wars, there are a lot of unrealistic things, take lightsabers for example. Remember, “The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural.” To top it off it was much more entertaining than any lightsaber battle in 4, 5, and 6. There are some things that came from the PT that were far better than the OT. Some things like lightsaber battles I really hope reflect the PT rather than the OT.

      • May 19, 2015 at 5:15 pm
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        Introducing martial arts (such as the maul fight) is stupid, it’s like giving them all iphones. I’ve no problem with unrealistic things, as long as they are not stupid and direct links to our real life here on earth.

        • May 19, 2015 at 5:19 pm
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          I guess you missed how lightsaber fights are no different than sword fights on earth…

        • May 21, 2015 at 5:02 pm
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          Stupid is not understanding how fantasy/fiction works.

          Unrealistic would be expecting Maul to behave like an untrained Luke, an old and rusty Obi-Wan or a cyborg Vader in a light saber duel, as seen in the OT.

          Realistic is having the wits to understand that there were NO Jedi or Sith at their peak during the OT days.

          Plus, yes, SW is make-believe, not real.

          Maul isn’t human. How do we know how a Zabbrak’s anatomy works in a fight, for instance, especially when enhanced by the Force?

          Assuming that you would know this, now THAT is stupid and unrealistic.

      • May 19, 2015 at 5:41 pm
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        As cool as the PT duels looked, it always bothered me that so little of their “attacks” would have harmed their opponent. That’s what I found unrealistic. There was more flash dance than fight.

        • May 19, 2015 at 10:03 pm
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          Yes, because being hit with a blade of energy on a light glancing wouldn’t sever layers of muscle or cause excruciating burns….

          • May 19, 2015 at 10:37 pm
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            You misunderstand. One example is that Obi-Wan had several open opportunities to strike Darth Maul, but instead swung at his blade.

            It’s possible to make these fights more acrobatic and intense without making Jedi look like morons.

          • May 20, 2015 at 2:47 am
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            Seriously! I watched Ep 1 again just yesterday and Obi slowly and carefully hits Mauls blade again and again while Maul focuses on Qui-Gon.. It looks so bad!

          • May 20, 2015 at 3:25 pm
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            There also is an awful moment, while Maul is lying on his back, in which all he’d have to do is to to twist his sabrestaff a bit to cut Qui Gonn’s legand instead, they both just…does nothing.

            The most important thing, though, is that the OT duels had an emotional core to them: they never were just “characters swinging laser swords”.
            I’ll take those duels over the PT emotionless fights every day of the week and twice on sundays.

      • May 19, 2015 at 5:47 pm
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        But the lightsaber battles in 4, 5, and 6 told a better story…

      • May 19, 2015 at 9:02 pm
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        I agree the light saber duels in the PT were better than in the OT, but only because the force users in the PT were more refined than they were in the OT. This is not a statement of criticism of the OT, just a statement of in-universe fact. I love the entire saga, I might have my own criticisms of it, but I won’t bash any part of it to the nth degree like some others.

        • May 19, 2015 at 10:39 pm
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          Just to be clear, my original post was not meant to bash one trilogy over the other. People are too quick to make this a PT vs. OT argument.

          • May 20, 2015 at 12:20 am
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            The real issue isn’t that they are force users, but it’s the real time era that each trilogy was made. David Prowse is 7’3, and Alec Guiness was really old, so they’re not going to move and react with any agility. Mark Hamill didn’t have the martial arts training the younger actors from PT and TFA have. Personally, I like the OT battles over the PT ones, because you can have a great dialog between the characters instead of just 30 min. of lightsaber battling. Story telling exceeds over just action sequences.

    • May 19, 2015 at 5:11 pm
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      that darth maul fight scene was amazing

      • May 19, 2015 at 5:46 pm
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        Yes despite my other comments about “over the top” etc. the Maul duel is the best one of the prequels.

    • May 19, 2015 at 9:13 pm
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      Tithe big difference between the lightsaber duels in the PT and the OT is that in the PT they were trying to hit each other’s lightsaber. In the OT they were trying to hit each other, like a real duel.

      Bottom line…PT duels were flashy but lacked substance. The OT duels told a story and had a large amount of emotion to them.

      • May 19, 2015 at 9:58 pm
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        Couldn’t agree more.

    • May 19, 2015 at 11:00 pm
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      I couldn’t disagree more. I greatly welcomed the acrobatics. Best duel? No. Best lightsaber fight? Oh, yes. Unrealistic? Yes, but not too unrealistic (i.e., they were Force users).

      • May 19, 2015 at 11:49 pm
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        There’s nothing wrong with acrobatics in the fights etc. As you say they are force users
        but use them properly and not just for flashy effect. Luke uses acrobatic moves in both his fights with Vader (look how they are used) The Maul duel is well done also.
        But in the obiwan/Anakin Duel there were flashy moves that were there for no reason and a bit stupid.

  • May 19, 2015 at 4:39 pm
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    So he does a lot of filming with JB & DR?
    What if Pip is a storm trooper too and is Boyega’s pal and they escape the star destroyer together after freaking out over the way Kylo is taking his missions?
    They meet Daisy then Pip dies in the ensuing escape?
    Either that or Pip is pursuing or new duo and doing a bit of street running during the chase? They did say he could be a Mo Cap Character? So maybe he’s playing a brigade of ninja, parkour like drop troops who are trying to retrieve Finn.

  • May 19, 2015 at 4:39 pm
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    Yeah, know what you mean. Hope they don’t go over the top trying to make it “too visually spectacular” but I feel like it’s in good hands so here’s hoping. Pip however is one talented and physically fit dude.

    • May 19, 2015 at 5:13 pm
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      i think the spectacular fight scenes is one of the best aspects of the prequels. i remember skipping to the end of phantom menace as a kid just to watch the fight. with the raid cast i think theyre going to be very spectacular and if you want realistic watch star trek

      • May 19, 2015 at 5:27 pm
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        Spectacular yes. but over the top no. I mean uneccessary use of flips and “flashy” moves just for the sake of it as can be seen in some of the segments of the Obiwan/Anakin duel in R.O.T.S. But like I said I think this is in good hands so here’s hoping.

  • May 19, 2015 at 6:57 pm
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    Pfffttt… I’ve see better. Jk

  • May 19, 2015 at 7:08 pm
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    “…some of the ideas that come out like completely unplanned…”

    Sounds good to me. Flexibility is a great thing. Even in a huge movie. You adjust to what’s happening and what’s not happening on the set.

    • May 20, 2015 at 3:27 am
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      Sweet. Even with post-Avengers Disney $$, TFA is still going to be a product of its time and stressful limitations.

      As it should be. xD

      Come on, Mouse House. [bleep] out a winner…

  • May 19, 2015 at 8:30 pm
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    It’s more like suicide.

  • May 19, 2015 at 9:55 pm
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    Luke and vaders final duel and when he sees his face was the best most emotional scene in Star Wars

  • May 19, 2015 at 11:23 pm
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    The most important thing to take away from this interview:

    “I didn’t get the chance to meet Mark [Hamill] at all which was a bit of a shame, but I did get to see almost all the other main characters do their thing so it was good fun.”

    More evidence Luke’s only in 1-3 scenes.. Damn.. *Shakes head*

    • May 21, 2015 at 1:59 pm
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      I thought the same thing. Either Hamill is nowhere to be found because his scenes are secret, or he’s just not in the movie much.

  • May 19, 2015 at 11:41 pm
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    Adam Drivers stunt double? hes 5’11 drivers 6′ 2 not to much difference

  • May 20, 2015 at 1:50 pm
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    REALLY hope they don’t go the same route of the prequel films in that every fight is basically two to twenty people back flipping with glow sticks just to look “cool”. As much as the “kids” think the OT saber fights were boring..they had more substance and meaning in relation to the characters emotions. Obi wan/Vader was old school fencing (reflecting a simpler refined time). The dangerous rage of Luke (nearly slipping to the dark side) & weakening of Vader (conflicted in fighting his son) in jedi is a good example. In the OT the saber was only lit when needed (vader lit up first being the bad guy obi wan only lit in defence) in the PT every bugger was walking around with it lit up. The final battle between Anakin & Obi wan had no impact as it just turned into another firework show, Don’t get me started on Yoda light saber battle in Clones…completely went against character just to look cool. If you want ott fight scenes keep it to the shitty console games. Less is more.

    • May 21, 2015 at 1:48 am
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      Each film that contains a lightsaber fight in it needs to establish the emotional stakes between the two characters ahead of time. Think Luke and Vader, not Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Maul. Those Jedi didn’t even know his name!

      And, as others have said, they need to knock off the silliness. Keep the fight real and practical. No “lightsaber dancing”, no falling or jumping ridiculous heights and cut out the excessive backflips.

      • May 21, 2015 at 2:44 am
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        I like to think that the part in PM duel, where Qui-gon meditates for a moment after dueling, that he is contemplating the near future. He sees:
        1. If he waits for Obi Wan to reach him, Maul may gain momentum and maybe even take out Kenobi. (He fails to protect his own).
        2. himself defeat Maul (which is a very possible outcome).
        3. that he sacrifices for his Padawan and the “Chosen One.”He already underwent some training to retain consciousness after life.

        Also They should add that Quigon Gave his last Force strenth to Help Kenobi Force fly to defeat Maul. So both defeated Maul.

  • May 20, 2015 at 7:01 pm
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    The Dooku vs. Yoda fight was frickin horrible. I mean horrible.

    I dont need to see that bullshit again.

    The Maul vs. Obi1 and Quigon (sp?) was cool.

  • May 21, 2015 at 2:10 am
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    Pip doesn’t even look human when he flips around. I really look forward to seeing Kylo Ren pouncing like a puma.

    Please no breakdancing though.

  • May 21, 2015 at 11:05 am
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    The b&w pic of Pip! This dude is 007 material!

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