Harrison Ford: Han Solo’s “development is consistent with the character”

First up in the glur of articles sure to come out of the Entertainment Weekly feature, Harrison Ford on Han Solo. On the evolution of Han:

“No, there’s not an abandoning of the character,” Ford says, more earnestly than you’d expect from Mr. I-Guess-We-Watched-The-Trailer. “He does not aspire to the position of Obi-‘Ben’ Kenobi, nor do I aspire to be some New Age Alec Guinness. His development is consistent with the character, and there are emotional elements which have occasioned his growth.”

Later:

…Ford has come to some conclusions about what’s become of the rascal. “[Thirty-two] years is going to put some rings on the tree, some experience in the bank. You might make an elaborate conjecture [about who Solo is now], but I think we answer that question in the film. It’s best left answered there.”

On telling Oscar Isaac “it’s fake:”

“I said, ‘Just make shit up!’” Ford says, getting suddenly animated. “I mean, it’s a movie, man. It’s space. You don’t fly in space the way you do in an atmosphere.” But then, he recalls having the same questions back when he first entered the Star Wars universe four decades ago.

“I don’t know any more than George [Lucas] knew how to fly the Millennium Falcon when I first got in. ‘How do you fly this, George?’” Ford says, breaking into a nasally, mumbling impersonation of the Star Wars creator. “‘Well, I don’t know, you just flip switches, and, errrr…’” Ford rolls his eyes and pretends to randomly spin invisible dials on the tabletop. “’Ooookay!’”

On fandom and Han shooting first:

“It’s not mine, it’s theirs,” he says. “I just work here.” So when diehards fight about who shot first — Greedo or Han — what’s his opinion? He shakes his head and spreads his arms with a smile. “Knock yourself out,” he says. “Have fun with it.”