Fans have loved Billy Dee Williams for his role as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars franchise. But before that happens, they hated them the most when they first met him in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back after betraying Han Solo and turning the latter over to Darth Vader. Over 40 years after the movie’s release, Williams recalled the huge backlash and how Lando was introduced to the epic space opera franchise.
In an interview with the Dagobah Dispatch podcast to promote his upcoming memoir, What Have We Here?, Williams revealed how people would tell him he “betrayed Han Solo” in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back when he would pick up his daughter from school or board an airplane. As he continuously experienced that for years, he would try to shut down the complaints by explaining how no one had died despite what he did and what forced him to do it.
He said:
I said, 'Look, think about the whole situation. You're up against a pretty formidable character in Darth Vader. And then there's, of course, Boba Fett. And these people were invading my space and I had to bargain with them. But the bargain at least prevented the complete demise of Han Solo and his friends. But I had to hold on to my whole situation.’
As he often told people this stuff, Williams came to the point that he had already gotten tired of it. He tried to show that Lando was only trying to figure out something that could help his situation and let his friend stay alive at the same time.
Moreover, Williams also recalled how Lando was introduced to Star Wars, where he came out to greet Han, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca on a Cloud City platform. For the now-86-year-old actor, that iconic scene was a “pivotal, classic, dubious hero moment.” Hence, he wanted to make the best of it and turn it into something interesting.
At the time, he often thought to do it so that people wouldn’t be conscious of his ethnicity. His father, William December Williams Sr., was African American with some Native American ancestry from Texas. “I didn't want that to be the focus or the focal point in introducing that character,” he said. “It was me, Billy Dee, doing what Billy Dee does.”
How did Lando betray Han Solo in Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back?
One of the most iconic moments in Star Wars Episode V: The Empires Strikes Back is when Lando, known for being Han and his friends’ ally, betrays them by giving them up to Darth Vader to protect his people. Lando originally plans to save everyone by getting them safely off Cloud City, but Darth Vader also betrays him by freezing Han in carbonite.
However, Lando has successfully redeemed himself after proving he is trustworthy by helping Leia and others escape when Han gets frozen. From there, he becomes a fan favorite, and it’s later revealed that he never intends to betray Han and his friends.
The backlash has only proved how loved Han Solo and the Star Wars franchise are. And though Williams has become a target of hate until today, though only on social media posts, it only shows how effective his character is.
