Tim Rose Talks Admiral Ackbar, Salacious Crumb and Star Wars
Back in June, we showed you a definite proof that Admiral Ackbar will make a comeback in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Later actor Tim Rose, who played the Mon Calamari in Return of the Jedi confirmed that he will reprise his role in the new movie. Now our friends from StarWarsJunk managed to speak with the actor. Check out their interview after the jump…
From StarWarsJunk:
SWJ: Thank you, Mr Rose for taking time out to talk with us. We have heard that you, as Admiral Ackbar will be returning to Star Wars. How did you get contacted to return?
Tim Rose: I was at a convention in Australia, when I got a very funny email from someone I knew. But they couldn’t tell me anything until I downloaded and signed the attached file. As you can guess it was a Disney Disclosure Agreement. I know right then, this was Star Wars!
SWJ: I know with that DDA with Disney you can’t say much about your role in “The Force Awakens” or any other coming sequels. But let’s just say IF you were asked to return to Star Wars, or you willing to come back?
Tim Rose: I love the Star wars Saga and will continue to be a part of it as long as my old bones allow.
SWJ: How much of you comes out in a puppet you have made. Such as maybe Tik-Tok from Return to Oz, Ackbar or even a puppet like Howard the Duck?
Tim Rose: I’m always amazed when producers think that because it’s a puppet, anyone can work it and it will be the same. Everyone who picks up a puppet will always put a little piece of themselves into the character.
SWJ: Did you have any role in coming up with the looks of Ackbar or even Salacious B Crumb?
Tim Rose: Yes! I was very involved with both of those characters from an early stage in Phil Tippet’s workshop at ILM.
SWJ: You also did Salacious Crumb in “Jedi”. Is it much different working with such a small puppet like Crumb than say a bigger one like Ackbar?
Tim Rose: Salacious was much more comfortable to perform as I could see and breathe while I did him. As a hand puppet I was able to walk around with him and entertain the crew in between shots.
SWJ: One last question, but I feel we will not get much of an answer. Is Ackbar still an admiral?
Tim Rose: Ackbar started as a slave in Jabba’s palace and only after escaping did he work his way up to the rank of Admiral in the resistance. A Calamari with that much determination? Who knows how far he can go!
For the full interview, make sure to go to StarWarsJunk
Founder of SWNN, MNN and The Cantina forums.
Born on April 24, 1980.
I sure hope they cast a wide net (pun intended) to find a sound alike. Never cared to much for the videogame versions. Someone out there has to be close to the original! I doubt they’d get the original back… as he may not be able to anymore.
I always just kind of assumed it was the same guy doing vocal, though it sounds a stupid assumption now that I type it,
The guy doing the voice for Star Tours and Battlefront does a pretty good job. I’m all for him taking the reigns for Episode VII.
Pretty sure that was actually Maurice Lamarche (!!!) who did Star Tours.
Didn’t this guy do the original voice as well as the puppeteering?
No, the guy who did the voice in ROTJ (Erik Boauersfeld) is in his 90s now.
Despite his age, Erik is still very vital, so I hope they will record some dialogue with him.
IT’S A TRAP!
I don’t want to minimize the importance of puppeteering, or Tim’s involvement with the character, but having Akbar back without Erik Bauersfeld is akin to having David Prowse back without James Earl Jones. I mean is he really back without that voice.
He might just be a background character, and he won’t even speak.
He’s nearly 100 now, Probably retired and not long for this world. I doubt his voice is still the same too.
no ship can penetrate it…
…penetrate it…
Part of me wants Mr Ackbar to shout “IT’S A TRAP!!!” in TFA…and yet part of me dreads it at the same time.
So you feel that by Lucasfilm reprising Ackbar’s presence in a Star Wars film they are setting a …
… well you know. 😉
He will say “it’s a trap” but in a different context, the good guys will be setting the trap this time..
That is the one way that it could be fine.
Leia: But Admiral, how can we be sure the First Order will fall for this?
Ackbar: Because, Leia
*puts on sunglasses*
Ackbar: It’s a trap.
YYYEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!
“Tim Rose: Ackbar started as a slave in Jabba’s palace and only after escaping did he work his way up to the rank of Admiral in the resistance. A Calamari with that much determination? Who knows how far he can go!”
Funny how he answered this way yet SWJ didn’t follow up with a statement that the Ackbar character showed up in TCW. Either SWJ forgot or assumed that Tim Rose hasn’t seen the series. In any case, I’m surprised that there wasn’t any follow-up to Rose’s answer in general (as I’m sure SWJ knows about TCW based on some of their tweets).
Perhaps he was joking about Mr Ackbar and the Jabba thing?
Salacious Crumb was an awful looking puppet with obvious synthetic muppet fur. Why they couldn’t have sprung for real fur is a mystery. Of course, today, Lucas would have him as an idiotic dancing digital cartoon, so at least he’s better than that.
Mr Crumb is the sci fi version of a troll.
When I first heard Winston Churchill speak I thought “why is he doing a bad Admiral Ackbar impression?”
Tim rose did the puppeteering but another guy did the voice. To be honest I think it’more important they get the guy who did the voice to come back
I agree. But hopefully he’ll come back as well.
With a name like “Ackbar”, I’m actually surprised the followers of a certain religion of peace haven’t gotten upset yet.