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Billy Dee Williams insists ‘there is only one Lando Calrissian’

Lando Calrissian has also been portrayed by Donald Glover.

Billy Dee Williams believes his original incarnation of the Star Wars character Lando Calrissian is the only one.

The 86-year-old actor made his debut as Lando in 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back and reprised the role for 1983’s Return of the Jedi and 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.

Donald Glover became the second incarnation of the character in the 2018 Star Wars prequel Solo, and he is currently developing a Lando movie.

Discussing Glover taking on the role, Williams told the Radio Times magazine, “I had a nice little lunch with him. He’s a delightful young man. Extremely talented. But I don’t see him… I mean, when it comes to Lando Calrissian there’s only one Lando Calrissian. I created that character.”

Williams only gave the “very talented” and “very imaginative” Glover one piece of advice – to “be charming” as Lando.

“He’s part of a whole new generation. He’ll create whatever he needs to create, to bring appeal to the character,” he continued. “I mean, it’s not for me to say what he should do with the character at this stage. I took care of the 20th century, now he’s got to take care of the 21st.”

When asked whether he would ever play Lando again, Williams responded, “Pay me a lot of money and I’ll sell my soul.”

Glover and his brother Stephen were initially developing a Lando story as a limited Disney+ series, however, it was announced in July last year that it was going to be a movie instead.

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