Second Norfolk stormtrooper unmasked
Local actor Johnny Lynch has a role in the new Star Wars film as a First Order Stormtrooper and is just back from promoting the movie in Mexico. Picture: MARK BULLIMORE
At first it seemed that Norfolk boasted the great honour of a single stormtrooper in the newly released Star Wars movie – but now another has slipped his mask.
After the EDP reported yesterday how a Norwich McDonald's worker was to appear as a stormtrooper in The Force Awakens, a second actor from our region has come forward to reveal himself as one of the menacing soldiers.
Cromer-based actor and casting agent Johnny Lynch took part in a big battle scene filmed at Pinewood Studios on the outskirts of London, which took nine days to shoot.
Mr Lynch, has placed more than 35,000 people into more than 150 productions in the UK and Europe during the last five years and secured the coveted role through his contacts in the industry.
After appearing as an extra in around 100 films, Mr Lynch is no stranger to the movie set and also featured in the latest Bond movie, Spectre, when he appeared as a bodyguard.
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'The battle scenes take an age to set up and the fight and stunt co-ordinators are meticulous as you would expect,' he explained.
'I approached the film just like any of the others I have been in. It is only afterwards, from what people have said to me, that I realise I must be the envy of millions.
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'Filming was very intense and did not lend itself to conversation with the stars, although I had met Mark Hamill [who plays Luke Skywalker] when he was involved in a film called Airborne, directed by my friend Dominic Burns.'
Mr Lynch was joined in the latest instalment of the sci-fi series by McDonald's worker Tom Elgie who, as reported in yesterday's newspaper, appeared in two scenes alongside 300 other stormtroopers.
And as a souvenir, Mr Lynch has a personalised stormtrooper figure.
As a result of his fleeting appearance in the film, Mr Lynch was invited to open a Star Wars collectors show in Mexico City last week.
There he discovered that limited edition stormtrooper toy was being sold with his name and picture on it. My parents used to sell Star Wars souvenirs at their shop in North Walsham and I couldn't imagine for a moment I would ever have my own stormtrooper figure,' he added.
Do you know anyone else appearing in the film? Email miles.jermy@archant.co.uk
