- [Voiceover] So, you play Poe Dameron,
a Resistance pilot,
why is this character a perfect role for you,
and how did you make it your own?
- Well, ah,
I really love the conflict that he has.
He is someone that comes from a long line of Rebel fighters.
He believes in the Force, he's committed to the Resistance,
and fighting the First Order.
He's also, has a bit of a problem with authority,
a little bit reckless.
He's got a, he's got a bit of a wise-cracking mouth
that gets him into some trouble now and then.
And for me it was a very fun character to play,
especially the idea of injecting humor.
And J. J., in a real spirit of collaboration,
was open to ideas and even improvising lines
here and there in dialog,
and I think that's what makes this newest chapter
in the saga so fresh,
it's that there's a bit of a messiness and a wildness to it.
And a real sense of humor to the whole thing.
- [Voiceover] Is there any part of Poe that is like you
or that you would like to be?
- Well, all of it's like me.
I think every character that I play,
really, for me the job of the actor is an investigation
into the self,
and the work that the actor does is kind of the fruits
of that investigation.
So for me it's about, well,
what would it be like
to have something to prove like that,
to prove your worth and prove your goodness?
And also to...
To do that, to fly above everybody else
at incredible speeds.
To have a mind that can work that fast.
And I imagine the feeling of invincibility
and the feeling of immortality,
and how that would effect my personality.
And so it's kind of where I start from.
- [Voiceover] We hear you come from a family
of avid Star Wars fans.
How did they react when you told them you got a part
in Star Wars the Force Awakens?
- Uh, there was a lot of near-fainting.
There was a lot of people turning green. (chuckles)
And they just, they couldn't believe it.
They were thrilled and they came to visit me on set.
And J. J. even ended up putting my uncle,
who is the biggest out of all of us, a fan,
into the film as an extra,
which was just
the pinnacle moment in his life.
- [Voiceover] That's awesome.
What was your reaction when you saw
that the film-makers actually built an X-wing for you?
What impressed you most
about all the practical sets and vehicles?
- Well, when I walked on the set and saw the real,
life-sized X-Wing,
and when I walked up to it, opened up automatically,
and I would jump in, and it would close,
and the lights would fire up,
and the sounds of the engine could come up.
And you'd have the little BB-8 behind there,
turning its head.
It was like a dream
It was hard to imagine.
And having all those things on set, was just, uh...
It felt authentic.
It felt real. We didn't feel like we were pretending.
And of course, also having the original cast there,
having Harrison, and Carrie,
and then you'd see Chewbacca and Anthony Daniels,
you know, it really felt authentic.
- [Voiceover] Your character has a new droid, BB-8.
Is he a scene stealer,
and how do you think audiences will like him?
- I think BB-8 might steel the whole movie.
It's, BB-8's a very special little droid
with its own personality.
And I think the thing to remember with Star Wars is
that every time a new movie comes out,
along with the film comes some sort of advancement
in technology.
And the engineering of BB-8 is a perfect example of that.
It's like magic, the way that they put
that little droid together,
and again that's another practical set.
It's a real droid that can roll around
and do what it does.
I think that's another one of the really special things
about Star Wars.
- [Voiceover] How was it working with J. J. Abrams
for the first time?
- Pretty shitty. (laughing)
No, working with J. J. Abrams,
he infused everyone with such enthusiasm,
and such joy...
That it was really a process
of trusting him completely,
and letting that feeling take over.
You know, it's really about connecting
to that childhood thing.
The wonder, and the excitment.
And he was just amazing
as far as infusing everything with joy.