The Force was not with Al Pacino when he turned down the role of Han Solo in Star Wars — a choice he opened up about in his memoir Sonny Boy. Recently reflecting on that fateful decision further, the Oscar winner now jokes that he was simply doing Harrison Ford a favor.

“I said, ‘I think I’m in the mood to make Harrison Ford a career,'” the legendary actor quips to Entertainment Weekly while promoting his latest film, The Ritual (in theaters now), alongside his costar, Dan Stevens.

Strolling down memory lane, Pacino recalls his relationship with the so-called “Movie Brats,” a group of pioneering directors including Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Brian De Palma, who helped pave the way for the New Hollywood movement of the mid-’60s to early ’80s.

“Zoetrope started in San Francisco with Spielberg and De Palma and Francis Coppola, and Scorsese,” Pacino explains. “They were in the late-’60s making this. They were real idealists coming into the ’70s with great films all over the globe. So it was a wonderful place that I actually saw, I went to the building and everything before I did Godfather with them,” he continues, referring to the Sentinel Building in San Francisco, purchased by Coppola as the headquarters for American Zoetrope.

“So I loved their work, but I was doing a show on Broadway at the time, and they handed me this script, and I thought, I don’t understand,” he said of reading the Star Wars script for the first time.

“[I thought], I must be out of space myself,” he joked. “But I looked at this thing and I sent it to Charlie Loughton, my friend and mentor, actually. I said, ‘What do you make of this?’ He was pretty wise and he said, ‘I don’t get it, Al. I dunno. I don’t get it.’ I said, ‘Well, I don’t either; what are we going to do? They offered me a fortune, but I don’t know. No, I can’t play something if I don’t speak the language.'”

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Fortunately, everything worked out in the long run for all parties involved. Pacino continued his iconic career, starring in films including Norman Jewison’s And Justice for All, William Friedkin’s Cruising, and De Palma’s Scarface. And, of course, the role of Han Solo in 1977’s Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope went to Ford, transforming him into one of Hollywood’s most bankable leading men.

Pacino also wasn’t the only actor Ford had to beat out to win the part of Han Solo. Sylvester Stallone has spoken about auditioning and being rejected for the role, and you can even watch Kurt Russell’s audition tape. Burt Reynolds told Business Insider in 2016 that, like Pacino, he was offered and turned down the part. “I didn’t want to play that kind of role at the time,” he said. “Now I regret it. I wish I would have done it.”

Ben Stiller‘s still feelin’ the pain from the Knicks’ crushing defeat to the Pacers … and with no NBA Finals game to attend at MSG, the actor threw on his finest tux and hit up the Tony Awards just a handful of blocks from the arena, where the actor lamented the loss in front of the A-list crowd!

Stiller’s mini-therapy session went down Sunday night at Radio City Music Hall — the biggest night in theatre — when Stiller was on stage to present the award for Best Play.

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“I’m so honored to be here because theatre is my passion. The place where I feel most at home. The stage has been a constant sanctuary for me, dating all the way back to last week when the Knicks lost in the Eastern Conference Finals.” Ben said, drawing a big laugh from the audience.

The 59-year-old continued … “I was told there’s a huge crossover between theatre lovers and sports fans.”

Cue more laughter.

Then Stiller got to business — announcing the nominees — and then the winner … which ended up being “Purpose” by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

Despite everyone getting a kick out of the actor’s jokes, it’s clear the “Severance” EP is still working through the five stages of grief after New York was bounced from the playoffs by their rival Pacers in six games.

The native New Yorker was a staple throughout the playoff run … sitting courtside alongside Timothée Chalamet and many other big-name celebrities. Stiller even made the trip to Indiana, watching his Knicks from deep within enemy territory.

Hang in there, Ben … next season tips off in just over four months!