Comic conventions always have that one guest whose mere presence can change the tone of the entire convention. At this year’s Wizard World Philadelphia, that guest was the legendary Billy Dee Williams. This iconic actor is best known in the comic community as the “Coolest Man in the Galaxy,” Lando Calrissian. Williams’ is also known for his portrayal of Harvey Dent in Tim Burton’s Batman films and a host of other dramatic roles, including a critically-lauded performance in the Billie Holiday biopic Lady Sings the Blues. On Saturday afternoon, attendees were treated to a Q & A session with one of this year’s headlining guests.
The auditorium for the panel was absolutely packed, with people lining up nearly an hour before the panel even started. The moderator took the stage first to build up the crowd, organize the microphone line, and to get his laptop set up, which, along with a projector, he used to cycle through pictures during the course of the panel. After a few minutes of preliminary set up, the moderator asked an audience member to fling open the door and usher Williams into the auditorium. The explosion of cheers and claps was quite impressive. A suave Williams took the stage, wearing a pair of red velvet pants and cool, black aviators. He waved and immediately took his seat, leaning forward into his microphone to greet us and thank us for attending. The moderator began cycling through images of Williams from his heyday. Williams spent a moment examining the pictures and, upon finishing, he remarked, “I used to be pretty cute.”
Anita took the microphone first and asked Williams what he’s up to currently. 
Williams responded by shedding some light on his career as a painter, informing us that he was featured in an article in the most recent issue of Juxtapoz Magazine, a contemporary art publication. The moderator, who immediately began displaying some of the actor’s art on the projector, asked Williams to elaborate a bit upon his career as an artist, which Williams was happy to do. He told us that painting has always been his life, having began as an artist in his teens. He trained at the National Academy of Fine Arts and has even received a nomination for the prestigious Guggenheim Award. Williams also informed us that one of his works is hanging in the National Portrait Gallery in the Smithsonian; additionally, Williams is heavily involved in the Theolonius Monk Institute of Jazz project based out of Washington, D.C. Anita also asked Williams about a return to the show White Collar, in which he recently guest starred. Williams said he would like to return to the show in some capacity, as he found his character both “dubious” and “charming,” a combination he admitted to enjoying playing. (Sound familiar, anyone?)
Hazel asked Williams if he felt that his portrayal of Lando Calrissian brought a new flavor of acting to the Star Wars cast. Williams said he borrowed a bit from his characters in Lady Sings the Blues and Mahogany, saying that “When I put that cape on in Empire, that was cool for me.” Tommy asked Williams if he has any new acting projects on his roster, to which Williams responded “unemployment.” He did mention that he had been approached about starring in an adaptation of Driving Miss Daisy, due out in 2012, but didn’t say whether it was a movie, a staged production, or made-for-tv movie. Williams told us he was definitely interested in the project, but nothing was set in stone.
Mike took to the microphone next and asked Williams to comment on the recent passing of Irvin Kershner, 
director of The Empire Strikes Back. The audience gave a round of applause for the late director before Williams responded, heaping praise on Kershner, saying he was, a “mountain of a man” who left behind an impressive body of work. Williams also described Kersher as a “wonderful teacher” and a “truly great man.” At this point, the moderator pulled a picture from the filming of The Empire Strikes Back, which showed Williams on the set with Peter Mayhew, who was in full Chewbacca garb, and also in attendance at the convention, and Kershner. Williams guessed that it was a shot of the scene in which Chewbacca attempts to strange Lando Calrissian after his partnership with the Empire is revealed. The moderator asked Williams what Kershner was telling him to do during the scene, to which Williams cooly responded “I don’t remember, but it was good.”
PJ, keenly aware of Williams’ legendary endorsement of Colt 45, asked Williams what, other than Colt 45, is his favorite drink, to which Williams responded, “Wine.” PJ also asked Williams what it was like to see his performance juxtaposed against the visual updates in the “Special Edition” releases of the Original Trilogy from the 90′s. Williams pondered for a moment and then began commenting on how he always tries to play his characters as “larger than life” and “transcending stereotypes.” He felt that his performance as Lando wasn’t based on the visual atmosphere, more on his capabilities as an actor. He played the character as living in a world “devoid of racial differences,” something to which Williams could appreciate, as he says he always tries “to get beyond all of that” and “express [himself] as an individual.” Williams also said he felt like he took Lando with him in his career and put “a little bit of Lando in every character.”
At this point, one of my favorite cosplayers from the entire convention, 
Prom Boba Fett (donning the famous helmet and a hilariously dated tuxedo) stepped up and asked Williams about his experience filming White Collar. Williams elaborated upon his character, describing him as an “old time gangster and forger” who was also a “charming pianist” and “internationalist” – beyond just a “gutter rat.” Williams echoed his sentiment from earlier in the panel, saying that being on the show was a positive experience, one which he would be happy to revisit.
A young lady, who neglected to mention her name, asked Williams to share his personal favorite story from being recognized in his daily life. He told us that, after Lady Sings the Blues was released, women would “just fall to the ground if they saw me.” In the coolest and smoothest demeanor imaginable, Williams remarked “that was cool” – a quip that ushered tons of laughter and cheers. Once the reaction passed, Williams further elaborated upon the story saying that he didn’t risk helping them up, afraid that “if [he] touched them, they would probably die.” More laughter and cheers followed.
Once all the ladies in the room finished swooning, David asked Williams about his experience voicing Lando in Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, which Williams identified as a positive one. He said he liked having a chance to reprise his role as Lando, saying “I love Lando. You cannot easily dismiss him.” Williams also talked about his experience working with the Robot Chicken team, saying that Seth Green is like “one of [his] sons.” Teasing the audience, Williams said “something else is being done [with Lando],” but he was unable to comment further upon that project. David also asked Williams if he’s kept up with Lando’s development in the Expanded Universe (the novels and comics that have progressed the story further after the conclusion of Return of the Jedi). Williams remarked that he hasn’t and asked David about Lando’s role in the books. David regailed Williams with the story of Lando’s pursuit to find a wife, to which Williams hilariously responded “Oh yeah? I gotta get that book. What does she look like?” Laughter ensued.
John stepped up next to tell Williams about an experience she had once at a party with some gay friends, who happened to be watching The Empire Strikes Back. Her friends asked who she thought the cutest person in the film was, to which she responded “Lando!” Williams chuckled a bit and responded, “she’s got good tase.” John then asked Williams an interesting question: if he could go back and change the films around, what would he do differently. Williams, without skipping a beat, responded “I’d kill Han Solo.” The room erupted with laughter, cheers, hollers, and applause.
Eric stepped up next and asked Williams to comment upon his experience filming LOST. [Williams guest-starred in an episode where he was playing himself, playing a villain on a fictional television program within the show.] Williams didn’t have much to say about the experience, reporting “Yeah, I played myself playing a bad guy. That was about it.” Eric asked if he got any special treatment, since the production crew at LOST were such big Star Wars fans, to which Williams responded “they just wanted to give me space to act.”
A woman dressed up as Carol Danvers, Ms. Marvel, took to the microphone next to ask Williams to join The Avengers, not as any hero, but just as himself. Williams was confused by the question, and asked for clarification, before eventually consenting. Steve stepped up and asked Williams about the Batman controversy. [Williams had originally signed on to play Harvey Dent because of his interest in playing Two Face, a clause that was reportedly signed into his contract. When Warner Bros. steered the franchise away from Burton after Batman Returns, Williams had to paid an undisclosed amount when the studio decided to purse another actor, Tommy Lee Jones, for the role of Two Face.] Williams expressed disappointment with the situation. He echoed that playing Two Face was always an interesting proposition, but just accepted the studio’s desire to go another direction. Steve asked Williams if he would be interested in playing Two Face in a future animated feature, a proposition to which Williams responded positively.
A man calling himself “James Werewolf” approached the microphone next, to which Williams immediately declared, “That’s not your real name.” James insisted that it was and asked Williams about the end of The Empire Strikes Back, which shows Lando in the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon, wearing Han Solo’s outfit. Williams laughed heartily for a minute before answering, joking that, since the Millenium Falcon was originally his, it was, in fact, Han Solo who stole Lando‘s outift. Williams offered serious clarification after that, positing that the outfit was standard Corellian battle garb, a soldier’s outfit. James Werewolf also asked Williams to comment on the more recent trilogy, which, of course, is one of the most dividing issues in all of Star Wars-fandom, with both supporters and critics rabidly defending and rejecting the films. Williams prefaced, saying George Lucas is “unique and extraordinary.” Williams said he was impressed by the technology of the film and really thought the visuals were something exquisite. James steered Williams more towards commentary on the actual story. Williams paused for a moment and offered an open-ended thought: “it was a difficult thing to do.” He concluded this response by saying that people seemed to enjoy the adventure and, at the end of the day, Lucas made a ton of money. As James was walking away from the microphone, Williams laughed for a moment, then leaned forward and let loose a mighty howl into the microphone, an action that gained him a thunderous round of applause.
Christian stepped up to ask Williams for which of his roles he’d like to be remembered most. Williams said he wished his work in stage productions would be remembered fondly. Regarding his film roles, Williams specifically mentioned his roles in Brian’s Song, for which he received an Emmy nomination, and Lady Sings the Blues. Williams also talked about Nighthawks, an action film that also starred Sylvester Stallone. The movie required some filming in the New York City subway tunnels. Williams told us that, despite being born and raised in the Big Apple, he had sworn off the subway in the 1960′s because of the rudeness you encounter there. He shared a story about his last subway ride: he was rising from his seat, so to give it to an elderly woman, when she rushed forward and just shoved him out of the way. Christian asked Williams which of his roles was the most fun, to which Williams offered no specific answer, saying “All of the ones I’ve mentioned. Not one in particular, though.” Williams said it’s not any particular role that he enjoys most, it’s the privilege of being an actor.
A guy dressed as Deadpool asked Williams if the team behind Batman knew that the film was going to open the door for more super hero movies. [Until Tim Burton's Batman, the Christopher Reeve Superman movies were basically the only superhero movies produced by major studios.] Williams said that they knew they were doing something special with Batman, chalking up to Burton, saying “he has extraordinary vision.” Williams commented upon his amazement at seeing the sets for the first time, commenting on the scale and overwhelming artistic vision they conveyed. Deadpool also asked if Williams had a chance to work with Jack Nicholson at all, and Williams regrettably informed us that he never worked with him during the shoot.
Lauren took to the microphone next, asking Williams who he had the most fun with during his Star Wars experiences. Williams thought for a moment and then told us that he and Mike Quinn, who played Lando’s co-pilot, Nien Nunb, in Return of the Jedi, was his favorite person from the Star Wars filming process. Lauren told Williams she always thought he was “hot chocolate,” to which Williams responded, “you’re hot vanilla.” Lauren, red in the face, swooned as she made her way back to her seat. Nelson stood up next and simply thanked Williams for coming to the convention and doing the panel, to which Williams humbly responded “you’re welcome.” Amber asked Williams about his experience in voicing a character in the popular Command & Conquer video games series. Williams said that, even though he really isn’t into video games, it was a fun experience. He enjoyed playing his character, who was modeled after Donald Rumsfeld, someone Williams found to be an “intriguing…Machiavellian” person.
Doug asked Williams to talk about his experience of working with Richard Pryor and James Earl Jones in the baseball comedy The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings. Williams said he and Jones always got along well and Williams always went out of his way to kiss Jones right on the forehead when he saw him every morning. Speaking of Pryor, Williams offered only one sentiment, a somber statement: “I knew Richie too well.” Doug asked about a fight scene between Williams and Jones. Williams told us that it was a lot of fun, and that he tried to hit Jones as much as he could during the filming.
The last person to take the microphone was Matthew, who offered only one sentiment to Williams, which provided an excellent conclusion to the panel: “Thank you for being the best Inter-Galactic Pimp Daddy ever.” Williams laughed and the crowd exploded in cheers and applause. Williams rose and gave us all a farewell wave, and, with that, the panel came to a close.
Hearing Williams talk about his dynamic career was certainly a treat. He was a humble, sincere person who took every question in stride and gave great answers, even playing with the crowd a little bit. I grew up with Star War, and it was certainly a treat to see Williams and be able to interact with him this weekend. His performances as Lando in Empire and Jedi were emblazoned into my mind at a young age and I will never forget them as long as I live.
My Wizard World coverage will wrap tomorrow with my report of the Adam Baldwin Q & A. In the meantime, check out my write-up of the Clare Kramer & Mercedes McNab “BuffyFest” panel. Also, don’t forget to check out more Wizard World articles from Nick Cavicchio (who also gets a shout-out for taking the photos), Jordamus Prime, and CGC Lee. Thanks for reading and stay tuned to Comic Booked!
Tags: 2011, Billy Dee Williams, comic booked, Comic Con, Irvin Kershner, Kyle Black, Lando Calrissian, Mike Quinn, Peter Mayhew, Philadelphia, Philly Comic Con, Seth Green, Wizard World
About the Author
Written by Kyle Black
Billy Dee is as cool as the other side of the pillow!