Alec Guinness Called Star Wars "Fairy-Tale Rubbish." It Made Him $95 Million.

In December 1975, Alec Guinness was one of the most respected actors in British cinema. He had an Oscar, a knighthood, and decades of acclaimed performances. Then he read the script for a science fiction film being directed by a young American named George Lucas.

"Fairy-tale rubbish," he wrote in a letter to his friend Anne Kaufman, "but could be interesting perhaps."

In a follow-up letter from March 1976, during filming, he was less charitable: "None of the dialogue makes my character clear or even bearable."

The Deal

Guinness negotiated a percentage of the gross revenue rather than a larger flat fee: 2% initially. George Lucas, impressed with Guinness's contribution, personally called him before the film's San Francisco premiere and offered an additional half percent. Through what appears to have been a miscommunication by a producer, the extra amount was documented as 0.25% rather than the 0.5% Lucas intended. Being English and unwilling to make a fuss, Guinness accepted. His final deal was 2.25% of the gross.

It was, by any measure, the best deal of his career.

$95 Million for 20 Minutes

Guinness's screen time as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original Star Wars amounts to roughly 20 minutes. The film grossed $775 million worldwide. The sequels added more. The re-releases, home video sales, and streaming deals compounded the revenue for decades.

By the time Guinness died on August 5, 2000, his Star Wars royalties had earned him an estimated $95 million. The "fairy-tale rubbish" he had been so skeptical of paid him more than every other role in his career combined.

His estate is believed to continue collecting royalties. The fairy tale goes on.