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George Lucas Reveals the Reason Behind Yoda’s Peculiar Speech in “Star Wars”
The mystery is solved! George Lucas, the 80-year-old mastermind behind “Star Wars,” clarified why Yoda speaks in an unconventional manner in the iconic films. Speaking at the 45th-anniversary screening of “The Empire Strikes Back” at the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival, Lucas revealed his strategic reason for Yoda’s unique linguistic style.
The Strategic Use of Backwards Speech
“Because if you speak regular English, people won’t listen that much,” Lucas stated, according to Variety. “But if he had an accent, or it’s really hard to understand what he’s saying, they focus on what he’s saying.”
He elaborated on the philosophical role of the character, noting, “He was basically the philosopher of the movie. I had to figure out a way to get people to actually listen — especially 12-year-olds.”
Frank Oz on Bringing Yoda to Life
Yoda, voiced by Frank Oz, made his debut in 1980’s “The Empire Strikes Back” and reappeared in several subsequent films, including:
- 1983’s “Return of the Jedi”
- The prequel trilogy
- 2017’s “The Last Jedi”
Oz, now 80, shared his initial approach to the Jedi master in a 2021 interview with The Guardian.
“I was just looking at the original script of The Empire Strikes Back the other day and there was a bit of that odd syntax in it, but also it had Yoda speaking very colloquially. So I said to George: ‘Can I do the whole thing like this?’ And he said: ‘Sure!’ It just felt so right,” Oz remembered.
Oz’s Perspective on Yoda’s Enduring Appeal
When questioned about the ubiquity of Yoda imitations, Oz responded, “No I’m used to it. But people don’t understand, anyone can do a voice. It’s not the voice – it’s the soul.”
The Impact of Oz’s Performance in “The Last Jedi”
Speaking to Collider in 2018, Oz recounted the atmosphere on the set of “The Last Jedi.”
“Well, I didn’t pay attention because I am very, very focused. I have to get the best job I can possibly get- that’s all I care about, is the quality,” he stated. “But my wife was there, and she said, I guess this is true, but she said everybody was working and then when I came on the screen everybody completely stopped working.”
Oz added, “That’s kind of exciting, but I didn’t notice it because I’m too involved. But that’s a wonderful feeling, I guess. If I felt it.”
Future of “Star Wars”
Since “The Rise of Skywalker” in 2019, anticipation has been building for the next installment in the “Star Wars” saga. During “Star Wars” Celebration in Japan, it was announced that Shawn Levy will direct “Star Wars: Starfighter,” featuring Ryan Gosling.
The forthcoming movie is set five years after “Rise of Skywalker” and is slated for release in theaters on May 28, 2027.