- Adam Driver insists that Kylo Ren was not solely responsible for Han Solo’s death in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
- Driver shares his frustration with people blaming him for Han Solo’s death, claiming that “wokeness” caused the character’s demise.
- Despite his Star Wars role, Driver has moved on to successful projects like House of Gucci and Ferrari, where he has received praise and faced criticism for cultural appropriation.
During his recent appearance on Saturday Night Live, Adam Driver asserted that his Star Wars character, Kylo Ren, shouldn’t be blamed for Han Solo’s death in The Force Awakens. Sitting at a piano to sing his Christmas List to Santa, the actor took the opportunity to voice his stance on the infamous scene.
Driver began his monologue stating, “I’m so excited to be back, especially during this time of year. I love Christmas. It’s my favorite holiday, the food, the music, the family… But largely it’s because I have a very deep and personal relationship with Santa.”
However, it was during his list of festive wishes when Driver paused to say, “I liked for people to stop coming up to me in the street saying, ‘You killed Han Solo.’ I didn’t kill Han Solo, wokeness killed Han Solo.”
Driver has previously discussed the impact his Star Wars role has had on his life during a streaming series, mentioning how he is reminded by someone “every day” about the scene in which he ends the life of an original Star Wars character. Although the complaints have slowed down, there are still plenty of people who take issue with the events from the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
Since his breakout role as Kylo Ren, Adam Driver has appeared in several successful films, including House of Gucci, The Last Duel, and White Noise. He recently starred in 65, another sci-fi movie, which, despite mixed reviews, was a small hit and provided Driver with a stepping stone to other projects.
Driver’s latest film, Ferrari, sees him playing Enzo Ferrari in Michael Mann’s biopic. Although praised for his portrayal, the movie has faced backlash from notable Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino for “cultural appropriation” as he questions, “why can an American play an Italian”.
Ferrari is set to release on December 25, 2023, and is expected to be a top movie in the world of motor racing. Following Ferrari, Driver is anticipated to appear in Mann’s in-development sequel to the hit 1995 movie, Heat.