Landing a role in the new Star Wars franchise requires being an esteemed veteran of the silver screen, such as Max Von Sydow, or an exciting up-and-comer (your John Boyegas, Lupita Nyong’os, and Oscar Isaacs); having a demonstrable physical skill that lends itself to the Star Wars universe; or winning a contest. Alternately, you could star in one of the director’s earlier movies, establishing a relationship that leaves you comfortable with openly begging them for a part—which is the route Mark Ruffalo has chosen.
Ruffalo tells Collider that he recently emailed his Brothers Bloom director Rian Johnson—who’s been tapped for Star Wars: Episode VIII (and possibly Episode IX)—to let him know how “desperately” he wants to work with him, a tactic that has worked for countless Nigerian princes in the past. “My e-mail to Rian after all these years was, ‘Rian, congratulations on everything you’ve been doing,’ Ruffalo says. “And by the way, if there’s a part in Star Wars, please, anything, please consider considering me to join you.’” It is unclear whether Ruffalo ended his email with “;)” to let Johnson know that he was just sayin’.
Ruffalo’s desire runs so deep that he says he’d “possibly” consider a small background role or “even a CGI role”—because “I love hanging out with Rian,” Ruffalo adds, aware that the key to any major casting decision is making it clear that it’s all totally casual. Like, they could just hang, and maybe make some s’mores and/or an entry in one of the most successful movie franchises of all time. Just some buddies shooting the breeze and perhaps a highly anticipated sequel.
On Twitter, Johnson indirectly responded to Ruffalo by jokingly alluding to his last open plea made to the Internet—this one to play Columbo—which has become the actor’s preferred method of landing work of late. Despite his gentle mocking, the floodgates are open: Both Colin Hanks and Brea Grant have also asked Johnson to be in the movie, even if it’s just working behind the scenes. Johnson similarly played it off—but you know, in a way where you could tell he’s really into it. And if you don’t at least ask, he won’t know how much you want it.
As of press time, A.V. Club readers had begun sending Rian Johnson thousands of tweets demanding that he #BringBackLobot, making an incredibly convincing case the director could not ignore.