Parks And Recreation star says he still receives payments for BB-8 voice work
Actor Ben Schwartz has revealed that he still receives payments from Star Wars for his contributions to the voice of BB-8, despite doing what he describes as the “least amount of work” for the franchise.
Speaking on the latest episode of David Tennant Does A Podcast With…, the Parks And Recreation and House Of Lies star discussed his unexpected connection to the Star Wars sequel trilogy, where he helped develop the sounds for the beloved droid BB-8.
Schwartz, 43, told Tennant:
“I helped originate the voice, so every now and then I’ll get a cheque from Star Wars.”
“At the beginning, it was me. Me and JJ (Abrams) would write lines for BB-8, and then we would give them to Lucasfilm or ILM (Industrial Light & Magic), and they would turn them into beeps and boops.”
BB-8’s place in star wars
BB-8 is a spherical droid that made its first appearance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), directed and co-written by JJ Abrams. The character quickly became a fan favourite, appearing in all three of the sequel trilogy films, as well as the animated series Star Wars Resistance.
Schwartz’s involvement in crafting the droid’s unique beeping and booping sounds has led to ongoing royalty payments, something he finds both amusing and unexpected.
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From Emmy winner to sonic the hedgehog
Schwartz has enjoyed a diverse career across film and television. He is best known for playing Jean-Ralphio Saperstein in the American sitcom Parks And Recreation, a mockumentary about a town’s public office. He also starred as Clyde Oberholt in the comedy-drama House Of Lies and voiced Sonic the Hedgehog in the recent Sonic The Hedgehog films.
In addition to his acting roles, Schwartz is an accomplished writer. He was nominated for four Emmy Awards and won an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics in 2009 for co-writing Hugh Jackman’s opening number at the 81st Academy Awards.
Despite this accolade, Schwartz admitted that his career did not change dramatically after the win:
“When I won the Emmy, I was like, ‘my life has changed, this is going to be amazing’, and nothing changed.”
“You always think like, ‘oh, this is the role where all of a sudden now everything’s going to open up’, and for a day or so it’s exciting, and then nobody cares.”
JJ Abrams and star wars legacy
JJ Abrams, who directed and co-wrote The Force Awakens (2015) and The Rise Of Skywalker (2019), has been a central figure in the modern Star Wars franchise. Abrams is also well known for his work on Star Trek and for co-creating the hit TV series Lost.
While Schwartz’s contribution to Star Wars may have been relatively small, it has led to ongoing financial benefits. The revelation that he continues to receive payments for his BB-8 work highlights the long-lasting financial impact of even minor contributions to major Hollywood franchises.
David tennant’s podcast and where to listen
The full conversation between Ben Schwartz and David Tennant is available on the latest episode of David Tennant Does A Podcast With…, which can be streamed on Spotify now.
