From Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment comes Willow, an all-new sequel series based on George Lucas' 1988 fantasy-adventure movie of the same name.
It's set to premiere on November 30, exclusively on Disney+, and features the return of the iconic Nelwyn sorcerer played by Warwick Davis, years after he rescued the infant empress Elora Danan. Leading a group of misfit heroes on a harrowing rescue mission through a world beyond imagination, what follows is an action-packed fantastical adventure.
Earlier this month, we sat down to speak with Willow's cast, including the show's standout leads, Tony Revolori and Ellie Bamber. They play Graydon and Dove in the series, and while we're reluctant to reveal too much about either character for fear of spoilers, trust us when we say you should pay close attention to them both.
In this interview, they both talk about Graydon and Dove's very different dynamics with Warwick Davis' Willow, their own unique bond as these heroes, and some of the best moments they and the cast shared in Wales when cameras weren't rolling.
Finally, Tony weighs in on possibly returning as Flash Thompson in Spider-Man 4, revealing how much fun he thinks it would be for the teenager to cross paths with Peter Parker now he no longer remembers him. Ellie also shared her enthusiasm for possibly joining the MCU one day!
Check out our full conversation with the Willow stars in the player below.
Ellie, Dove and Willow quite quickly develop something of a father/daughter dynamic after meeting, so what was it like for you and Warwick to work on and develop that?
Ellie: Oh, I loved working with Warwick. It was brilliant. Just to be able to…there are some scenes you may have already seen, but to be able to improvise with him was so exciting. There was a scene around a campfire and to be able to get into that space and really bounce off him was great, creating that rapport. Yeah, it was brilliant.
On the other hand, Tony, the friendship that blossoms between Graydon and Willow ends up being a little more like a double act - how much fun was it to stretch your comedic chops together?
Tony: It was wonderful. He’s so quick and witty with his one-liners and improvisations, so it was a lot of fun finding that dynamic that worked best and what the funniest [thing] was we could come up with. There were a lot of great moments and, just in between things, having great conversations and talking about stories. That just carried through on set and onto the screen, I hope. Yeah, he’s a wonderful guy and I’m honoured to have worked with him.
Your characters very quickly bond as well, of course, so what did you both enjoy about exploring Dove and Graydon’s quite unexpected dynamic as two people who come from vastly different worlds?
Ellie: Yeah, I think they come from really, really different worlds.
Tony: But they’re weirdly similar.
Ellie: They’re weirdly similar, definitely. The support they give each other…well, mainly Graydon [gives Dove] [Laughs].
Tony: Yes, I think, regardless, Dove has such a wonderful ability to treat everyone equally and that’s something that is not normal to Graydon. He gravitates towards her and Graydon is just an empathetic human being. He wants to put out as much good into the world as he can and he’s empathetic by nature, but doesn’t really forgive himself for his past mistakes. She kinda helps him, and the entire group in general, helps him overcome his past traumas. Especially Ellie.
Ellie: Graydon really gives Dove the strength to believe in herself which I think is really beautiful in a friendship. She finds it very difficult and there is a lot of self-doubt within herself, so he gives her the belief that she needs.
I have to ask, Tony, with rumours Spider-Man 4 is somewhere on the horizon, are you hoping Flash and Spider-Man might cross paths, even if he doesn’t remember Peter now? There’s some fun to be had there, right?
Tony: Absolutely. I mean, I would be honoured to come back if that’s true. I don’t know yet and you would probably know more than me, but if it is true, I would love to come back. I would love to reprise the role. I think there’s so much fun to be had that he doesn’t remember now. We can start that anew. He’s the character that’s always by his side, being a little bit of a pain, so hopefully, I get to continue doing that.
And Ellie, I can’t help but notice a resemblance between yourself and Gwen Stacy or even Black Cat, so how would you feel about joining Tony in that Spider-Man franchise?
Ellie: [Laughs] Oh my God, I would love that. Are you kidding? Sign me up if at all possible! I would love that.
Tony: Alright! Sign the contract there in blood…and we’re good!
Willow is an epic road trip story in a lot of ways, but what are some of your favourite memories from the time you spent working on the show?
Tony: There’s this great restaurant in Wales, near Cardiff.
Ellie: It was my favourite! I loved it.
Tony: It was called the Ocho Lounge [in Penarth]. I was there every night basically eating. It was phenomenal and great. Beyond that, you guys coming over to our house, watching movies there.
Ellie: We would always have such great dinners. We’d call each other once we got off set and say, ‘Do you want to get a takeaway?’ That was always really fun.
Tony: It’s very rare for an ensemble cast to spend all day together and then also at night still want to hang out with each other. I think that lends itself to the show.
Willow is set to premiere on Disney+ on November 30.