10 Actors Who Turned Down Star Wars
2. Denis Lawson - Wedge Antilles
Another case of a low profile actor not returning for a Star Wars role, with the reasoning for this decision particularly baffling. Denis Lawson's character Wedge Antilles become somewhat of a 'cult hero' after his support role in A New Hope, eventually becoming more of a periphery figure in the original trilogy. JJ Abrams invited Lawson to return for the role in a cameo for The Force Awakens, but surprisingly the offer was turned down.
Incredibly Lawson gave one specific reason for not returning- he didn't think it would be any fun! Lawson was still acting at the time, so the decision was more than a little puzzling, especially in regards to the production not being any fun. There hasn't been any clarification if there was any other reason for his decision, but it was one he finally rescinded.
Lawson took up JJ Abram's offer to reprise the character for The Rise of Skywalker. It was only a brief cameo, amongst a number of faces arriving for the final attack on the Empire. Even though it was a blink and you'll miss it moment, it was still a nice gesture from JJ to allow Lawson to honour his character one last time.