It’s been the most coveted role for a young actor in Hollywood ever since the project was announced.
Back in 2013 Disney made it known their desire to find a new Han Solo to take up the mantle of the role Harrison Ford made famous in the original ‘Star Wars’ trilogy.
The talent search was flung far and wide, who would step into the pilot’s seat of the Millennium Falcon as a young Han Solo?
Would it be an established star or a virtual unknown?
And after a litany of auditions across the globe, ranging from actors as diverse as Scott Eastwood to Glee’s Blake Jenner, Disney finally got their man.
His name is yet to be on the tip of anyone’s tongue as a household name, but given time the clumsy sounding moniker Alden Ehrenreich may be receiving top billing in blockbusters for years to come.
It’s fitting the 26 year old has been tapped to portray Han Solo for an origin story of the dashing rogue, as his personal rise in Tinseltown is an origin story worth sharing in and of itself.
Turns out that Alden, who up until now was best known to audiences for his ensemble role in the Coen Bros. film ‘Hail, Caesar!’, was discovered by none other than Steven Spielberg…at a Bat Mitzvah…when he was 14.
Ehrenreich was just a scrappy adolescent making a video for a friend in celebration of her budding Jewish womanhood, luck would have it that Spielberg happened to be in the audience and an acting career was born.
Spielberg took Alden under his wing and hooked him up with roles with friends, one thing led to another until the young actor was a leading man in his own right….and now he’s poised to take on one of the most beloved film franchises in cinematic history.
Word to the wise, however, Alden…don’t screw this up…ask Jake Lloyd what happens if you do.
For a taste of Alden’s acting chops, take a gander at the ‘Hail, Caesar!’ featurette below:
