7. It's Hard To Imagine Anyone Else As Han Solo
It might seem difficult to believe it now, but Harrison Ford nearly lost out on the role of Han Solo, the performance which truly kick-started the stars career (he would later go on to play Indiana Jones and Rick Deckard , marking him out as a rare example of an actor who has commanded multiple iconic roles in quick succession). Not wanting to cast an actor he had already worked with (George Lucas and Ford worked together on American Graffiti in 1973), Lucas initially looked elsewhere to cast Han Solo, and an eclectic mix of actors were considered for the part, from household names like Al Pacino (who claims the role was Mine for the taking but he didnt understand the script) and Jack Nicholson, to more left-field choices like Bill Murray and Chevy Chase (really). In the end, though, Lucas knew that Ford had to play the cocky pilot, and the actor was cast. The rest, as they say, is history. The perfect mix of smug and charming, Ford is a revelation in A New Hope; a criminal smuggler, yes, but one with enough charisma and wit and bravery to end up a kind of everyman hero. In a series not exactly brimming with great performances, Fords Han is a constant delight, and the foundations of his best traits - his blossoming relationship with Leia, his touching friendship with Chewbacca - are laid here.