[read previous entries first]

I'm back (again)! In today is Natalie Portman, but we can't understand something. On the call sheet she is listed as 'Debbie Gibson'. I hope one day to find out why! Someone guesses it's for security reasons... but surely every good stalker would know it's Natalie Portman playing Padme Amidala, not a nineteen-eighties Pop singing sensation. Anyway, up first is her stand-in, Chantelle, which gives me a chance to relax and watch the action. I savour every moment of course.

My first scene is with Padme on the balcony, brushing her hair. (Her not me.) A first for a Star Wars movie I believe? Or did Leia do it on Cloud City. (Should I rephrase that?! ) Well anyway, even if Leia did brush her hair she didn't look quite as beautiful as Debbie Gibson. I mean Natalie Gibson. I mean... er...

This set actually is partly built, and on a green-screen set this time, for various reasons. Some tones of costume and scenery may have blue elements, which means they'd become invisible with a bluescreen, so they have the green option. This is kept in mind right from the pre-production stages, when designing the look and feel of not just sets but costumes too. [Lesson ends.]

The result of this scene is me leaning on a pillar for 2 hours on and off. Strangely however, my script says "Anakin leans on a pillow". Somebody's got the wrong end of the wrong stick somewhere! Oops. There was me expecting to lie down next to Debbie all day as well! Either they built an entire wooden balcony set that was actually supposed to be a pillow or the scriptwriter misread George's handwriting. I understand he handwrites all Star Wars scripts in pencil using the same folder he used for the original movie. Either way, my Cockney 'pilla' isn't as comfy as I'd hoped.

CPA Sc 53A INT. PADME'S APARTMENT - TWILIGHT

Padme stands in the balcony, brushing her hair. Anakin leans on a pillow watching her.

It's incredibly hot under the lights. My Stand-in today is a chap by the name of Hayden Christensen. He looks fairly similar to me apparently. As he arrives to take my spot, I remark to him warning how hot it is, to which he laughs. Indeed, as they get ready to shoot, he asks for a minute to compose himself, then apologises. Due to the thickness of the costume he has to stop the roll and call his make up team to mop his top lip dry.

Once the actors are in to do their stuff, off I come to watch them film. As Stand-ins we watch the shots closely so we can mirror their actions during setups. For this I stand behind George Lucas & co. in the 'Video Village', watching the huge plasma screens. George shouts to Natalie to take her eyeline to a dot on the wall, but there are about 20 dots which are cleverly used for the computer matchmoving to lock onto so it can keep the background image that is inserted later, in line with the correct perspective whilst the camera moves the shot around. Natalie can't see which one, so George takes a laser-pointer focus tool, aims its beam at the wall, and draws a circle around the spot from 50 metres away!

"See, modern technology!", he says in his famous tone of voice.

Natalie Gibson Portman the 80th looks a lot smaller in real life and hasn't changed much since she was 14 or 15 years old when we filmed Episode I. Between takes she sits, beautiful, perched on a stool whilst her make-up artiste adjusts her hair and another pampers her.

We watch her body language with Hayden between takes, as they were rumoured to have dated during the making of Episode II. I must ask him about that. She has her arms crossed much of the time, but jokes with him in a teasing way. She is defensive of something, or perhaps she's just scared because of the scar he carries over his left eye and the fact he is to turn into a Dark Lord of the Sith tomorrow. Tough break.

Onwards and upwards... The next scene is a two-shot of me... I mean Anakin talking to OB1 about who deserves the credit the most and who deserves to be the one to "take the bows" before the Jedi Council. It ends with humour as OB1 corrects Anakin when he says he saved OB1's life 10 times. "Nine times Anakin, Nine... the incident on Cato Nemoidia doesn't count." They laugh and exit the screen and that scene is complete. Well, after about 50 takes which is what George seems to like doing. Quite the perfectionist. Nothing wrong with being perfect, that's what I always say.

It's also amazing how he films. I have heard some people say he is not 'an actor's Director'. Instead of always giving instructions such as 'really feel the emotion here - imagine it is happening to you...' he sometimes says things instead like, "Okay now move your left hand onto your chin"! If an actor gets something wrong, he doesn't tell them to do it again, he says, "don't worry, I can take that from another scene and paste it over". It's amazing the technology he has at his disposal. He's a really sweet guy too. Reminds me of Yoda in a way, which I think I've heard before -- perhaps even that he was based on him. He's always making funny little quips everywhere, and seems genuinely relaxed and enjoying playing with his toys. I'm proud to have been invited into his Tatooine sandpit to join in the fun!

After lunch comes the most exciting scene for me, possibly the most exciting out of both movies I've been involved in. C3PO is in the building! On Episode I the closest I got was a mannequin that we thought could possibly be something to do with C3PO. And we were wrong. But even that was incredibly exciting! Gee, when I think back to that boylike feeling, then remember that this time there is no disputing it - the bits of gold body plating arrive and are neatly set up on a table - it reminds me what a dream I am living right now. If you had time-travelled back to when I was 7 and told me that little gold action figure I was clutching would be right in front of me in full-size real life, and that I'd be Vader's Stand-in a long long time in the future...... There aren't the keys on this keyboard to put that feeling into words, sorry.

Speaking of awe, then something unexpected happens.

"Christian, can we have you to stand in for Threepio please".

I go onto stage and stand-in for him quite happily (well you're not gonna have to Force me are you) in the scene where he tells Padmé that Anakin has returned to the the Jedi Council and Threepio tries to reassure her that he will be all right. According to the call sheet Padme then "bursts into tears", which I misread as "Padmé bursts into flames".

She does neither.

Then who should appear but Anthony Daniels again. He approaches me and is wearing a black 'catsuit'. Meeeoww. The cool thing is the little wires you see through Threepio's elbows and stomach are sewn onto this suit just where they show through. The rest is complete black. So that's how they do it! Our conversation goes something like this:

Anthony: Aren't you a little tall to be a droid?
Me: Aren't you a little short to be a Stormtrooper?
Anthony (smiling): Hi, I'm Anthony, who are you?
Me: Christian, nice to meet you (shaking hands). How's it going?
Anthony: Well I'm not looking forward to getting into 'that' again (pointing at the disembodied C3PO on the floor)
Me (doubtful): Come on, I bet you love it really!
Anthony (looking up at me hesitantly as I smile back): Do I? I cried when they put it on me on the first film.
Me: Really? Wow, okay.
Anthony: I remember my first stand-in on the original film was a beautiful girl... she was the silver droid you see walking with me at the opening shot of Episode IV. She went on to marry the Queen's cousin and invited us to the wedding at a palace! I asked if the Queen would be there, and she said probably and......

The thing about Anthony is not only is he always excited to be there, and he loves telling stories. I think you could quite easily let him go on for hours and not mind.

Moving on swiftly, the final scene involves OB1 on the stairs having a conversation with Anakin. Ewan McGregor is ready to shoot, but Hayden is nowhere to be seen... which means I stand in for Anakin as Ewan takes is place as Obi Wan. He walks up to me quickly and excitedly, beaming a smile, in a very friendly way introduces himself as Ewan, and after I introduce myself back he gives a warm excitable, "How's it going Christian!!!". Nice guy! Excited guy! I know how he feels... I've just met Ewan McGregor

On set his beard is real (thankfully, after the hamster he appeared to be wearing on his cheek in some Episode II shots) and is quite long. Grey flecks have been painted in to match him even more to Alec Guiness' personification of OB1. At least I think they're painted on!

He is fresh back from a worldwide charity motorcycle trip across some of the most barren terrain, which he recounts stories of to anyone and everyone. Sounds like a blast - I'm quite jealous even though I'm not really into biking. The series of the trip is out on a double DVD called 'The Long Way Round', and I later really enjoy every episode. There are even a few funny Jedi moments.

And that about 'wraps' up Tuesday. I'm lacking sleep, having got up at 5:30 every day and what with getting home at 20:00 and dealing with all those little 'real life' chores (yep you still have them even in the Star Wars Universe), I'm not getting to bed until 23:00 which gives me less than 6 hours actual sleep. Not good to be focussed for the next day's 'work', but I vow not to let these diaries suffer. But that may happen once the excitement dies down... in about 500 years

I would love to read your comments below as much as I hope you enjoyed reading this blog. Stay tuned for the next installment!...

[For images and another viewpoint on this day Hyperspace members can read Pablo Hildago's excellent set diary also]