The Film Independent Live Read of The Empire Strikes Back was already off to a great start on Dec. 18 at Los Angeles' Ace Hotel with curator Jason Reitman having assembled a stellar cast: Aaron Paul (Luke Skywalker), Ellen Page (Han Solo), Jessica Alba (Princess Leia), J.K. Simmons (Darth Vader), Dennis Haysbert (Lando Calrissian), Stephen Merchant (C-3P0), Kevin Pollak (Yoda), and Rainn Wilson (Chewbacca) .
But when Reitman announced that Star Wars icon Mark Hamill would read the roles of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Emperor Palpatine, everyone inside the Ace Hotel's 1,600-seat theater leapt to their feet for a deafening standing ovation that lasted several minutes.
In addition to that sensational bit of stunt casting — the room roared when Hamill, as Palpatine, said, "We have a new enemy: Luke Skywalker" — tasking Page with bringing to life the uber-macho Solo was a stroke of genius.
When the stage direction, which Reitman read, described the intensity of Han and Leia's kiss — "She has never been kissed like this before, and it almost makes her faint" — Page triumphantly thrust her hands above her head as the crowd cheered.
