J.J. ABRAMS: For this read through we did,
we didn't want it to be too ceremonious,
and feel like "Oh, my God, we are gonna actually hear this script."
On the other hand,
this was gonna be the first gathering of this original cast, the new cast,
and this core group of people that were gonna be part of making this movie.
And we wanted to document it, but the most important thing was to hear it.
That moment when we all sat in a circle,
and we saw all these faces and you couldn't believe what you were seeing.
ABRAMS: Just as a fan of Star Wars,
to see them all together, was an incredible thrill.
MARK HAMILL: "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."
Mark Hamill was the one who read the script out loud
to everybody in the cast read through.
So that was pretty fantastic.
I think it took everybody about 30 minutes or so
just to get over the fact that it was Mark that was reading to everybody.
"Exterior. Jakku village. Night. BB-8 speeds.
"He beeps like crazy and moves on, heading for Poe Dameron, 32."
OSCAR ISAAC: That's when it really feels surreal,
when you see Carrie and Harrison.
That's when you get a little bit of a chill like,
"Wow! This is actually happening."
"He is grabbed by stormtroopers,
"who drag him past the vibrating, frozen blast to Kylo Ren."
ADAM DRIVER: Suddenly, you're sitting around, you're like,
"Oh, right, they're actors who are in this movie.
"Mark Hamill's not really Luke Skywalker. "
The table read was really the first time when I'm like, "I'm gonna get fired,"
because I didn't think that it went well. (CHUCKLES)
"Tell me about the droid."
- "Where are the others?" - DRIVER: "The traitors, murderers..."
I did an awful job in the reading.
Do you remember straight away we had to go to J.J. and had to rehearse?
I think he was like, "What did I do?"
"I don't need that kind of help. Where did you get the jacket?"
"From someone I knew, a friend."
JOHN BOYEGA: I just remember my script
being back to front and upside down
- inside the black folder. - DAISY RIDLEY: Oh, really?
I still thought that I was auditioning. I thought this was the last test.
Whoo! (LAUGHS)
"Damn, that was lucky."
HAMILL: "The remaining TIE fighters..."
ABRAMS: Daisy and John are incredibly talented and capable,
young, hung'?-
And to see them with people like Carrie and Harrison and Mark,
it felt like just an honor.
Harrison and Mark and myself in a room together doing this again.
I mean, you think, "Really?
"Who would've thunk it?"
I was impressed by J.J.'s casting instincts.
I loved that they were who they are.
I thought they were audacious choices.
Bold choices.
They're unique, strong individuals, and I love that.
"You tell him that Han Solo just stole back the Millennium Falcon for good."
HAMILL: The table read was my chance
to be reunited with all these people,
who have this common bond, this experience that we all had together.
Even though I don't see them as much as I'd like to,
within two minutes it's just like all the time is washed away.
These young actors are just... Knocked it out. They're all so good.
To hear them bring these characters to life was just a revelation.
They're all so right. They just couldn't be better.
"As our music builds,
"the promise of an adventure just beginning.
"The end."
(ALL CHEERING)
Wow. Mark Hamill, yeah. Oh, my God!