Domhnall Gleeson has had more than a few pinch-me moments throughout the course of his career, partially due to his tenure with the Star Wars movies. By playing the villainous General Hux in the Sequel Trilogy, Gleeson had the opportunity to take part in some big scenes with A-list actors. The experience wasn’t always easy, though, and that wasn’t necessarily due to production. Gleeson actually revealed that his angrier portrayal of Hux in 2017’s The Last Jedi was due to a gross situation he experienced off the set.
Upon his debut in 2015’s The Force Awakens, Hux was shown to be a tense individual and staunch supporter of the First Order. I thought he was uptight enough in that initial installment, but Gleeson ramped it up for the aforementioned sequel. My first guess would’ve been that the star found an acting method to reach that level of anger, yet I never would’ve guessed that it really had to do with bedbugs. While on The Drew Barrymore Show, Gleeson recalled the matter after being asked to share a BTS memory:
Bedbugs. I was staying in a hotel the night before my first day shooting, and I got eaten alive by bedbugs. And the hotel said that they didn’t have bedbugs and that I was imagining it and that was a lie. And then they suggested that I wear pajamas. That was the solution to not being bitten.
I can think of few things that would make someone uncomfortable like bedbugs would, and the Paper star’s situation just sounds miserable. While he may have had a miserable first day on the Harry Potter set due to an accent mixup, I don’t think that compares to this critter-related situation. Still, Gleeson managed to turn lemons into lemonade, as he told Barrymore (as seen on YouTube) that he used the energy for his own benefit:
Latest Videos FromCinemablend
So, when I look at that, I just think I was probably really itchy that day. That’s why I look so angry, I think. That’s why I played it like that.
A part of me really wants to use my Disney+ subscription to watch The Last Jedi right now, considering this new information I’ve learned regarding those bedbugs. If anything, I applaud Gleeson for remaining professional even amid the less-than-deal circumstances. The film shoot wasn’t all bad for Gleeson either, as he even collaborated on a particularly fun (and dark) moment, which saw Hux aiming to finish off his boss, Kylo Ren, following a lightsaber battle.
For the most part, Gleeson has spoken highly of his time within the Star Wars franchise. However, as was the case with this recent interview, he’s also been honest about the elements he wished were different. Gleeson previously admitted that he would’ve loved to have played a larger part in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. More recently, he also said he found Hux’s death in that film to be “devastating.” Yet, for Gleeson, what softened the blow of his character’s demise was that it was the great Richard E. Grant – in character as Allegiant General Pryde – who delivers the fatal blaster shot.
I feel as though Star Wars fans have likely seen the last of Hux, though Domhnall Gleeson is down to return should an opportunity arise. For now, though, I’ll just settle for his insightful behind-the-scenes stories, and I really hope that any others he reveals aren’t as nasty as his bedbugs experience.
