Star Wars: Did Sylvester Stallone And Kurt Russell Really Audition For Han Solo?

It's hard to imagine anyone but Harrison Ford as Han Solo, despite Alden Ehrenreich giving it his best shot in "Solo: A Star Wars Story." However, "Star Wars," like most movies, went through countless auditions for its lead roles, and despite George Lucas ultimately making the perfect decision, a few other Hollywood legends were in the running to bring Han Solo to life. 

Sylvester Stallone recalled his Han Solo audition during an appearance on "The Tonight Show," saying he didn't get very far into the process because he and Lucas both knew it wasn't the role for him. He remembers immediately recognizing that Lucas and producer Gary Kurtz weren't feeling him for the role, wanting to look anywhere but at Stallone as he read for the franchise's famous rogue. "I said, 'Let me just make it easy for you. I would look like crap in spandex, leotards, and a ray gun. I get it. Guys in space don't have this kind of face,'" Stallone recalled, adding that Lucas and Kurtz saw hundreds of actors for the part, so he holds no hard feelings towards them.

Other actors up for Han Solo included Al Pacino and Burt Reynolds, who both infamously turned down the role, opening the door for Ford. However, Kurt Russell was also in the mix for not one but two "Star Wars" roles.

Back in 1976, Kurt Russell nearly had his choice of leading roles in "Star Wars," with George Lucas considering him for both Han Solo and Luke Skywalker. Although neither panned out, Russell looks back fondly on his audition experience.

During an interview with The Daily Beast, Russell reminisced about reading for "Star Wars" in early 1976. Every young actor in their 20s showed up for Lucas' auditions, according to the star, but NBC was already courting him for the lead role in "The Quest" TV series. Eventually, he had to choose between one or the other, so he went directly to the head honcho. "I was in there on 'Star Wars' and remember asking George [Lucas] one day, 'Do you think you're going to use me or not?'" Russell recalled. "And he said, 'I don't know which part I prefer you in. I don't know if I like you as Han and this guy as Skywalker, or this guy as Han and you as Skywalker. I don't know.'" Ultimately, Lucas couldn't give Russell the answer he needed, leading the actor to accept the part in "The Quest" instead of waiting for "Star Wars."

Russell's "Star Wars" audition is very good, so Lucas' indecision is understandable. He somehow manages to exude the smuggler confidence of Han Solo while sprinkling hints of Luke Skywalker's boyish charm within his performance. So while fans eventually got the perfect Han Solo in Harrison Ford, you can't help but imagine what Russell could've brought to the role.