The Force is with Smits

Jul 14, 2000 by Ian Evans

Various fan sites on the Web have been saying it for weeks and now Lucasfilm has confirmed it: the Force is with Jimmy Smits.

Smits will appear in George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode II as Senator Bail Organa of Alederaan, the foster father of Princess Leia. Fans may remember him as the relative who gets toasted when Alederaan is turned into so much space dust by the Death Star.

In a quote on the official Star Wars site, casting director Robin Gurland said, “I’d thought of Jimmy for the role before George Lucas had even confirmed the character’s appearance. Then completely independently, his agents let me know that he would love to be involved in a Star Wars project. It worked out great.”