Potential spoilers ahead so if you are sensitive, steer well clear…
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We first heard the rumor about Grand Moff Tarkin possibly making an appearance in Rogue One back in August 2015. Shortly before director Gareth Edwards’ standalone film debuted in theaters, Entertainment Weekly confirmed Tarkin’s inclusion which no doubt resulted in huge smiles on the faces of scores of Star Wars fans. It also raised questions as to how the production team would be accomplishing this goal of having such an iconic character from the Original Trilogy appear in a new film all these decades later.
In an article posted over on the NY Times website, Lucasfilm VFX guru John Knoll provides readers with detailed information on how the character of Tarkin was brought back to life on screen in Rogue One. It’s a fascinating article (as is all Star Wars BTS-related articles), so check out some of the key points from the story below and then take the supplied source link for the full read which also touches on how a young Princess Leia was brought back as well.
“If he’s not in the movie, we’re going to have to explain why he’s not in the movie,” said Kiri Hart, a Lucasfilm story development executive and “Rogue One” co-producer. “This is kind of his thing.”
For principal photography, the filmmakers cast the English actor Guy Henry (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows”), who has a build and stature like Cushing’s and could speak in a similar manner.
Throughout filming, Mr. Henry wore motion-capture materials on his head, so that his face could be replaced with a digital re-creation of Cushing’s piercing visage.
Mr. Knoll described the process as “a super high-tech and labor-intensive version of doing makeup.”
“We’re transforming the actor’s appearance to look like another character, but just using digital technology,” he said.
In striving for a balance between a digital figure who seemed real and one who looked precisely like Cushing, the “Rogue One” creators said seemingly minor tweaks could make significant differences — and these details were tinkered with constantly.
