Former Industrial Light & Magic matte painter Caroleen “Jett” Green has revealed a new George Lucas Easter egg in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
. Last year was the 25th anniversary of The Phantom Menace, and Lucasfilm released the movie at cinemas (we’re getting a similar rerelease of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith this year). I was delighted at the chance to rewatch The Phantom Menace, and I thought I knew most (if not all) of the many Easter eggs and references in the movie. It turns out I missed one – and I don’t think this has ever been discussed before.
Clayton Sandell recently met with legendary former ILM artist Caroleen “Jett” Green, who worked as a digital matte artist on The Phantom Menace. Green was tasked with helping digitally expand practical sets like the Theed hallway, completing the far end of hallways and extending marble columns and floors. As Sandell notes:
“In a sH๏τ that starts at one hour, 58 minutes and 17 seconds into the film (if you’re watching on Disney+), Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) and her palace guards run down a hallway, finding themselves surrounded by Droidekas and battle droids. In the background of the wide sH๏τ, there’s a prominent stone archway. Look at the apex of that arch, maybe squint your eyes, and you’ll see the somewhat-pixelated face of the creator himself. (I will say, watch the highest quality copy you can. It helps.)”
How George Lucas’ Face Wound Up In The Phantom Menace
Green explained that she was working on matte painting when she realized the oval shape looked rather like a traditional plaque for a portrait. “I decided to get a picture of George, and I put it on this plaque,” she explained. She showed it to one of the visual effects supervisors, magnified by 400%, and he decided Lucas himself had to sign off on this.
This led to what was clearly a memorable experience, as Lucas and a “huge” entourage walked up to Green’s desk one day. As she explains:
“George is really quiet. He looks at it, and he goes, ‘Oh, naughty, naughty.’ I said, ‘Yeah, but it’s you! It’s your face.’ And then there’s silence again. And I’m just sitting there with everybody. And for some reason, I can’t describe the feeling, but— I knew that I wasn’t going to get in trouble.
And then, George says, ‘Okay. Leave it in.’”
There Have Been Rumors About This Phantom Menace Easter Egg For Years
This isn’t the first time I’ve heard chatter about a George Lucas Easter egg in The Phantom Menace. In fact, I’ve heard chatter about it for years – but nobody’s ever been able to say exactly where it can be found, and I’d treated it as just an urban legend. It turns out Lucas does indeed make a subtle cameo in The Phantom Menace – perhaps he’s actually Naboo royalty?
Source: Clayton Sandell
