Adam Driver Refuses To Use Star Wars For Other Opportunities

Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Last jedi

Adam Driver has become a global celebrity thanks to Star Wars. His face is instantly recognizable, something which he could certainly use for his own advantage in other avenues of life. However, Driver says that he's against using his celebrity so much that he won't even leverage his own celebrity when it comes to raising money for his own nonprofit, Arts in the Armed Forces. When asked if money and fame distort the way he feels about acting, Driver said...

Does money? Yeah, it does. In terms of this nonprofit, we could probably be doing even better financially if I wasn't one of the people at the head because I'm so unwilling to do so many things --- or talk to people in general.... I don't want to start getting into favors. It's not about me and Star Wars. It's about the people that we're trying to serve and if you don't get that then I'd rather not be associated with your money. I guess that applies to acting also.

Lots of people who have large sums of money to donate might be more willing to do so if they got to hang out with one of the stars of a Star Wars movie. Adam Driver could likely secure a lot of that money if he was willing to do those favors. However, the actor clearly feels that there would be a loss of integrity if we were to make those sorts of deals, so he keeps the two things separate. He says he feels the same way about acting, implying that if the job isn't focused on the right goal, he'd rather not be paid to do it.

It's clear that Adam Driver has a particular way of looking at things and that's very dedicated to all of the things that he does. In his interview with Vulture he mentions John Cassavetes, a director who would happily do work he wasn't particularly interested in just to make money so he could use that money on other projects that he cared about. While Driver seems to understand the thought process behind that, and appreciate it, he simply doesn't share it. He doesn't have the ability to do it.

This also shows that Adam Driver takes the Star Wars movies themselves just as seriously. Many people might assume that getting involved in such a massive franchise is done for the money or the celebrity of it all. That may be the case for some, but Driver is doing it for the performance and the art as he does with any role.

Star Wars Episode IX is currently in production which will bring Driver back to the role of Kylo Ren once again. Whether this will be his last adventure in the galaxy far, far, away is far from clear. If he does choose to continue you can be sure it's because it's a role he wants to pursue, not simply because it pays well.

Dirk Libbey
Content Producer/Theme Park Beat

CinemaBlend’s resident theme park junkie and amateur Disney historian, Dirk began writing for CinemaBlend as a freelancer in 2015 before joining the site full-time in 2018. He has previously held positions as a Staff Writer and Games Editor, but has more recently transformed his true passion into his job as the head of the site's Theme Park section. He has previously done freelance work for various gaming and technology sites. Prior to starting his second career as a writer he worked for 12 years in sales for various companies within the consumer electronics industry. He has a degree in political science from the University of California, Davis.  Is an armchair Imagineer, Epcot Stan, Future Club 33 Member.