Star Wars: The Force Awakens put ‘a hell of a pressure on JJ Abrams’ shoulders’ Simon Pegg tells heat

When you’re trying to make the biggest film, er, ever…it must be pretty stressful. But tonight, on the red carpet at the European premiere of* Star Wars: The Force Awakens*, Simon Pegg revealed just how hard it was for the film’s director JJ Abrams.

“I think [JJ’s] relieved, this has been an incredible challenge for him,” Simon told heat. “One that he’s more than a match for but I know it was really important to him that it’s good and that it’s everything that people want it to be. He’s had a hell of a pressure on his shoulders to make sure this is the film that everyone wants to see and he’s obviously succeeded.”

The box office certainly seems to think so. The film isn’t even out yet but it’s already pulled in a huge $100 million in presale tickets in the US alone.

Simon also told* heat* he’s been dreaming about being in the film since he was kid. But it didn’t turn out like he thought it would.

“I always wanted Luke to have a younger brother that I could play when I grew up because when I was younger, I used to fantasise about being in Star Wars,” Simon said. “I managed to pull that off but I’m playing a very large, fat alien.”

A very good, fat alien, we hasten to add.