When the dust settled and it was announced that Alden Ehrenreich would be playing the coveted role of Han Solo in the beloved character’s origin film, everyone had the same question, “Who is Alden Ehrenreich?” This list is a breakdown of all the interesting and important tid-bits from the Alden Ehrenreich biography that’s yet to be written. For an actor who’s worked with almost every influential director, from Woody Allen to the Coen Brothers, not a lot is known about him. And if you’re still trying to pronounce his name, you’re going to want to read this collection of things you should know about the new Han Solo, Alden Ehrenreich.
There are a few Alden Ehrenreich facts that everybody knows: He was discovered by Stephen Spielberg and he’s bros with Francis Ford Coppola, but other than that the kid is a mystery. It’s this level of intense secrecy that makes the Alden Ehrenreich Han Solo casting seem like a great idea. Never mind the fact that his chiseled good looks and thousand yard stare make him a mirror image of a young Harrison Ford. Keep reading to learn everything you could possibly want to know about Alden Ehrenreich, then leave a comment about whether or not you think he deserves to make the Kessel run.
16 Things You Should Know About Young Han: Alden Ehrenreich, star wars, behind the scenes, other,
He Was Discovered in a Bat Mitzvah Video
Every actor has a story of their big break, but Ehrenreich's might be one of the strangest you've ever heard. When he was 14, he acted in a short film that was screened at a bat mitzvah attended by none other than Steven Spielberg, who immediately got the young man an agent.
The Coen Brothers Didn't Think He Was Right for Hail, Caesar!
If you've seen Hail, Caesar! then you know that Ehrenreich's Hobie Doyle is one of the few entertaining characters in an otherwise dreary affair. Oddly enough, The Coens didn't think he had what it would take to play the character and the actor had to fight to join the production. "When I read the part, I just loved it. When I first auditioned for it I was told I probably wasn’t right."
Alden Beat Out a Lot of Actors for the Role of Han Solo
When it was announced that Harrison Ford was vacating the role of Han Solo, someone did the quick math and discovered that ALL OF THE ACTORS were going to be auditioning for the coveted role/career bump. You can't help but think that it was Ehrenreich's classic Hollywood demeanor that scored him the gig.
Francis Ford Coppola Directed His First Film
While most actors make their debuts in less than stellar films, Ehrenreich burst onto the scene 2009's Tetro, playing the titular character's younger brother. Ehrenreich found it hard to put the good fortune into words, saying, "If I tried to somehow wrap my head around the fact that Francis Ford Coppola directed my first movie, there's never a slot into which that ever fits in your mind."
Teen Vogue Called His Star Turn Before Anyone Else Did
You don't normally think of Teen Vogue as a star-maker, but it turns out they called Ehrenreich "Hollywood's next supernatural stud" all the way back in 2013.
He Co-Founded an Art Collective
While attending college at NYU, Ehrenreich didn't just go to class. Instead, he founded the Collectin Collective with classmate Zoe Worth. The Collectin Collective is a group of 30-something young actors, playwrights, and comedians who put on shows in bars and small theater spaces throughout New York.
Most of His Films Were Made with High Profile Directors
The Coen Brothers, Chan Woo Park, Francis Ford Coppola. These are just a few of the massively influential directors with which Ehrenreich has had the opportunity to work. Even if his solo Han Solo film is a bust (which it won't be,) he'll still have one of the best resumes in young Hollywood.
He Doesn't Mind Being Anonymous
Prior to the premiere of Hail, Caesar! the actor told Rolling Stone he takes his lack of facial recognition in stride. "People will know who I am at the party tonight and at the premiere…" But then he stops himself, laughing again. "But I could drive right now to the building next door and no one knows who I am. That's kind of nice."
The Hardest Thing He's Ever Done Involves Spaghetti
In Hail, Caesar! Hobie Doyle effortlessly forms a lasso from a spaghetti noodle as a bit of flirtation, and learning how to do that might have been the most challenging thing Ehrenreich had to do for the part. “It felt like being an old studio actor. I had all these different jobs to do. It was a regiment. It started with the trick roping, then the gun twirling, then horseback riding.”
He Rarely Left the Hail, Caesar! Set
When speaking about his time on the set of Hail, Caesar! he said, “At the end of the day, I’d say ‘Mind if I just stay?’ It was a choice between watching two of the greatest directors of all time direct these wonderful actors, or, just sit at my apartment. Why wouldn’t I stick around and watch?”