Adam Driver: The Man Behind the Mask of Kylo Ren Brings Theater to the U.S. Military and Veterans

AdamDriverHis identity may be shielded by a Vader like war torn mask in ‘Star Wars’ but the actor behind the mask is really one of the good guys in real-life.

 

 

Before he fought for the First Order as baddy Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Adam Driver was a United States Marine with 1/1 Weapons Company. He was a young man who, one year after September 11th 2001, joined the U.S. Marine Corps to serve his country.

 

Speaking at “TED Talks: War & Peace”, Driver opened up with a modest but powerful summary of how and why he became a Marine, the complex transition from soldier to civilian and the nonprofit organization he founded, “Arts in the Armed Forces“. He shares how the world of theater recreated the camaraderie he missed after the military and how drama can be used to help returning veterans transition to civilian life.

Check out the clip and get to know the man behind Kylo Ren, Master of the Knights of Ren, exclusively on TED.com:

 

 

 

 

+ posts

27 thoughts on “Adam Driver: The Man Behind the Mask of Kylo Ren Brings Theater to the U.S. Military and Veterans

  • May 31, 2016 at 1:16 am
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    This is really cool of him to do. There does need to be more programs for the men and women of the military to transition from one life to the other.

  • May 31, 2016 at 4:23 am
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    He is so awkward. He truly is Harrison Ford’s son.

  • May 31, 2016 at 4:50 am
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    i love that he does this- he’s become a superstar, but he still gives back and spends time towards something meaningful to him. #redeemkylo

    • May 31, 2016 at 5:06 am
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      #DarthVaderWasAlreadyRedeemedAndKyloKilledHanSoloSoPleaseKillHim

      • May 31, 2016 at 5:36 am
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        #fairenough

  • May 31, 2016 at 9:08 am
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    Who cares!

  • May 31, 2016 at 4:06 pm
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    Come on, nobody believes in your bike accident. I see Star Wars as an anti-war film, and now we have this guys telling us he was devastated not to be drafted to Iraq and Afghanistan, thanks to his dislocated his sternum. I thought by now everybody would agree Bush wars were great mistakes but apparently it’s still trendy.

    • June 1, 2016 at 12:23 am
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      He wanted to serve his country because he’s a cool guy. Get over it.

      • June 1, 2016 at 2:08 am
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        Why did he bother typing this? I’m not 100% certain, but if I were a gamblin’ man, I’d bet any organ I have two of that Driver doesn’t read the comments on this website. And supporting the war is trendy? Does that mean that being against the war is trendy as well? Silly.

        • June 1, 2016 at 9:56 am
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          Hey, you are risking one of your kidneys, lungs, or balls!!!!

          • June 1, 2016 at 2:35 pm
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            Haha! I think it’s a safe bet. But still….yeah….

          • June 1, 2016 at 3:06 pm
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            Look it this way, you can freeze your sperm.

          • June 1, 2016 at 6:13 pm
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            Forget that. I already have kids. : )

          • June 1, 2016 at 7:14 pm
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            Well, one ball better than a lung then, you don´t need them anymore :))

          • June 1, 2016 at 8:25 pm
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            This is going nowhere good. Heh heh…

      • June 1, 2016 at 11:20 am
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        What is next? Donald Trump coming froward and tell us that he regrets not having the opportunity to drop burning Napalm on little asians thanks to his foot condition that allowed him to dodge the draft.

        • June 2, 2016 at 4:17 am
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          That’s not an answer.

          • June 2, 2016 at 1:06 pm
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            Why should I like american troops to begin with? They are exactly the Empire’s stormtroopers.

    • June 1, 2016 at 4:16 am
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      Wtf is your problem? You’re not even making sense.

      • June 1, 2016 at 2:36 pm
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        He rarely makes sense.

    • June 1, 2016 at 8:02 am
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      If the dates are right, he joined even before Iraq war was on schedule.
      Totally understable someone would like to join the army after 9-11, I would.
      Also, all we know Iraq war had nothing to do with 9-11, yes they are muslims, like philippines and USA people usually are both christians.
      He even didn´t have to know the billions of dolars invested in Afghanistan militia and terrorist groups in the 80s and early 90s, including thousands of stinger missiles.
      And also in that time (2002) nobody (or few people) knew about WTC7 was the first skyscraper in history collapsing all pillars in ground floor at the same time by fire, going down in free fall, and the fire were in upper floors.

      • June 1, 2016 at 3:23 pm
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        Yes it’s understandable that in 2001 he felt his country needed to be defended although joining the military was irrational because you don’t beat terrorism with a regular army. The problem is that we are in 2016, and by now everyone knows that these war were wrongs and the real perpetrators of the attacks are probably at the Pentagon. But he acts like a war monger that dodged the draft just like Trump, because I don’t believe in his bike injury at all just like I don’t believe in Trump’s feet problems.

        • June 1, 2016 at 7:11 pm
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          Yes!
          I knew it…
          Trump is Snoke.

  • June 1, 2016 at 4:34 am
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    The more I hear about Driver, the more I like him. He seems pretty solid.
    On another note, with that one-man performance at thew end, was anybody else listening to that as if it were a companion-piece to “Birdman”? — it had the drum and everything.

  • June 1, 2016 at 11:13 am
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    Cool! I have the utmost respect for this man.
    1. he was a marine and served his country like many of my family before me.
    2 he’s from San Diego my hometown.
    3. He’s Kylo Ren

  • June 2, 2016 at 12:41 am
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    I hate this guy…

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