Star Wars’ Oscar Isaac and John Boyega on Rise of Skywalker, bromances and Baby Yoda

Look at how cute Baby Yoda is. How could anyone wish any kind of ill will upon such a creature? Well, this Star Wars thesp does.

Baby Yoda better watch out because Poe Dameron is out to get him.

Maybe not Poe Dameron as such, but certainly the man who plays him on screen in Star Wars movies The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and the upcoming The Rise of Skywalker.

The rest of the world may have fallen in love with the adorable entity dubbed Baby Yoda but officially credited as The Child in Disney+ Star Wars series The Mandalorian, but Oscar Isaac isn’t buying into the hype.

“I’m not into the Baby Yoda thing,” Isaac told news.com.au, before adding with gusto, “Kill it! Stamp it! Smoosh it!”

Co-star and press tour buddy John Boyega reacted in horror, “Really?! He’s so cute.”

How could you want to kill this little guy?

Every Mom on Christmas morning watching you open presents: pic.twitter.com/m7hI1qYoVz

— Julie Benson (@TheJulieBenson) November 29, 2019

To be fair, Isaac had just been asked to pick the cuter of the two between Baby Yoda and BB8, the latter being Poe’s droid sidekick, itself a seriously bewitching screen presence that can always be counted on to be in exactly the right place to save your butt.

Baby Yoda, a tiny, infant member of the same species as Yoda, has dominated social media memes since he debuted in The Mandalorian in mid-November.

Maybe you’ve seen it drinking bone broth or stopping a space rhino with its command of the force. Or you’ve heard that song in tribute to it – catchy but annoying as hell. At least it’ll replace Baby Shark as the tune you can’t shake out of your head.

We don’t know anything about Baby Yoda yet, other than that it’s apparently 50 years old and has powers.

In all seriousness, BB8 is also extraordinarily adorable

Isaac and Boyega’s bromance on the Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker press tour went to another level the other week when Boyega posted a social media video of himself writing a letter to Isaac, asking him to be his plus-one to the Star Wars premiere.

But has Isaac replied yet?

“He still hasn’t!” Boyega said.

Isaac disagreed. “I did, I was replying to it here,” gesturing to his head, indicating that his missive may have been communicated through some kind of psychic means.

“It got there subconsciously!”

My brother Oscar never responds to his texts so one must write him a letter ! pic.twitter.com/lHoAPKx4oU

— John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) November 30, 2019

Isaac and Boyega’s friendship and antics on the press tour isn’t just a matter of two men trying to get through a gruelling schedule by leaning on each other. It also feeds into a conversation about the relationship between their on-screen characters.

Despite the desire from fans to see Finn and Poe cement their bond beyond brohood, and thereby become the Star Wars universe’s first open LGBTI couple, it seems unlikely that we’ll see that in The Rise of Skywalker.

Isaac has previously said he would be up for it but told Variety that “some people were too afraid”.

When asked by news.com.au who Poe was to Finn and Finn was to Poe, Boyega said, “They’re best mates, aren’t they? They’re best friends, brothers now, especially in (episode) IX. Between The Last Jedi and The Rise of Skywalker, they’ve spent a lot of time with each other.”

Finn and Poe’s relationship has been teased as something more than brohood

Isaac was quick to agree and then added: “They’ve been in the most extreme situations together, they’ve bared their souls to one another, they’ve got a very intimate bond.”

Asked if that extends to being something more, Isaac replied, after a comical sigh, “I have to wait until the next instalment. You know, we have to see.”

Boyega was extremely amused by Isaac’s response, breaking into laughter so boisterous it would be better described as a guffaw.

“This guy!” Boyega exclaimed. “The next instalment! Ohmigosh, the comedy from this man!”

It’s hard to read Boyega’s response as anything more than joshing, unless you want to take it to mean that maybe either Finn or Poe won’t survive the upcoming battle.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars at a fan event in Tokyo. Picture: Christopher Jue/Getty Images for Disney

With The Rise of Skywalker only days out from release, Isaac hopes this final chapter of the nine-episode Skywalker saga will give fans closure.

Boyega was again sceptical. “Star Wars fans?! No! They ain’t going to be closed!”

Isaac countered: “What I mean is the Skywalker saga has come to an end.”

Boyega replied: “But Star Wars fans will continue to build on this. They can’t help it. And that’s what going to make Star Wars live forever.”

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in cinemas this Thursday, December 19.

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The writer travelled to Tokyo as a guest of Disney