- The creators of Skeleton Crew say that Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood wasn’t inspired by Han Solo
- Many Star Wars fans believe that Harrison Ford’s roguish rebel was a key influence on Jod’s persona and aesthetic
- However, neither Solo or any infamous pirates served as the inspiration for Jod
The creators of Skeleton Crew have revealed the true inspiration for Jude Law’s Jod Na Nawood in the forthcoming Star Wars series.
Speaking exclusively to TechRadar ahead of the show’s two-episode premiere, Jon Watts and Christopher Ford discussed the main influence behind Law’s enigmatic individual.
In the months leading up to Star Wars: Skeleton Crew‘s release, fans have theorized that Jod was heavily inspired by Star Wars stalwart Han Solo. Indeed, with Skeleton Crew‘s official trailer and various TV spots putting Jod’s roguish charm and impulsive actions front and center, such a comparison doesn’t seem so outlandish.
Watts and Ford, though, say this isn’t the case. So, who’s the chief inspiration behind Law’s mysterious stranger? Considering the Disney Plus show is partly influenced by pirate movies and TV shows, did the pair create the character of Jod by looking at legendary, swashbuckling individuals like Blackbeard, Calico Jack, and Ned Low?
The kids are fresh, new, and naive, and we wanted Jod to immediately feel like he’s been around this galaxy
Christopher Ford, Skeleton Crew co-creator
Not exactly. In fact, there’s only one person that Watts and Ford had in mind when it came to inventing a new adult character for Lucasfilm’s iconic sci-fi universe – and the answer is really, really obvious.
“It’s funny, when we were writing it [Skeleton Crew], we would always say ‘Nod is a Jude Law-like character,'” Watts explained. “It feels like he [Law] has already been in Star Wars for a long time, so we just reached out to him and put him in our show.
“He brings all of these layers of mystery and complexity [to Jod],” Watts continued “And it really feels like his character has been through a lot by the time he meets the kids [Wim, Fern, K.B, and Neel].”
“Yeah, we wanted them [the kids] to contrast [Jod],” Ford interjected. “The kids are fresh, new, and naive, and we wanted Jod to immediately feel like he’s been around this galaxy. You know, maybe he’s met some of the show’s other characters before but, more that that, we wanted him to feel like a veteran who’s been around the block a few times.”
You won’t have much longer to see when Jod and the show’s young cast of characters cross paths, and how their personalities clash once they do. Indeed, the last of 2024’s new Star Wars movies and TV shows will make its Disney Plus debut on December 2 (US) and December 3 (internationally). Be on the lookout for my Skeleton Crew review closer to the time, too. For now, read more of our Star Wars coverage below.