‘Star Wars’ Droid BB-8 is Jew-ish and Now We Have Proof

Image by YouTube

By Maia Efrem February 11, 2016

BB-8, the standout actor in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” was not even human. He was a droid. Oh, and he’s Jewish, kind of.

Die hard fans were won over by the cute little droid with attitude and that JJ Abrams entrusted comedians Ben Schwartz and Bill Hader to come up with the personality and “dialogue” for BB-8. Schwartz disclosed that the beep-beep boop-boop that completely stole the movie actually started as real dialogue.

Image by YouTube

“I don’t know how much percent of my actual voice is in there,” Schwartz says, “But I know that all the editors were so kind to me in saying that it really helped with the way they edit, and the cadence. I think in the end J.J. … literally did the whole thing off an iPad app. But maybe listened to my voice and worked with the cadence of that. But I got to go to the Star Wars premiere!”

Watch him describe the process here:

Maia Efrem is the former research editor and assistant to the editor and was also responsible for the Forward’s annual Salary Survey. Previously she served as the editor of Blognik Beat, a blog written by students who emigrated from or have ties to the Former Soviet Union. Maia is a graduate of Hunter College and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO