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Every character in the Star Wars saga has a story to tell. That's been a part of its magic from the beginning, and the franchise has done its best to honor the tradition whenever it can. Supporting figures and background extras alike all carry the organic feel of real beings going through their lives, which does wonders for bringing George Lucas' galaxy far, far away to life. It also helps keep ancillary products rolling, as novels, comic books and video games can always find an interesting character in a random shot somewhere to flesh out into a full-bore narrative.

That includes a barely seen A-wing pilot who plays an outsized role in the destruction of the Empire: barreling through the defenses of Admiral Piett's Super Star Destroyer and sending it crashing into the Death Star at the climax to Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi. He has...

Supervising sound editor Jane Tattersall, sound designer Brennan Mercer and rerecording mixers Matthew Chan and Lou Solakofski knew the stakes were high for Paramount+ series “Halo,” based on the wildly popular Xbox video game, which for years had been trying to make the leap to movie theaters.

“There was enormous pressure,” says Tattersall of the series, which is in the middle of its nine-episode first-season run on the streamer. Also head of sound for Toronto’s Formosa Group, which was responsible for post-production sound work on the show, Tattersall says producer Sheila Hockin had told them that “it’s very important to learn not only the world of the game, but also respect the fans.” Set in the 26th century, “Halo” focuses on a cybernetically enhanced super soldier known only as Master Chief (Pablo Schreiber), who leads his fellow Spartans in defending humanity from an alien race.

Hockin connected the sound designers with 343 Industries,...

Mamma mia!

Paul Clarkson, the actor who originated the role of Harry in the West End production of Mamma Mia!, is revisiting his days on the show — with the added help of his family!

The actor’s daughter, Abigail Clarkson shared a video of herself, her dad and her mom, actress Julia Hills, on Twitter lip-syncing and dancing to “Voulez-Vous.”

“Dad was the original Harry in Mamma Mia – here’s him lip syncing to himself 21 years ago!… plus a few extras do we make this weekly?@paul_clarkson1 @julia_hills #werkwednesday #mammamia,” Abigail tweeted.

Clarkson, who is head of acting...

Jim Broadbent as Tony Webster, in The Sense Of An Ending. Photo by Robert Viglasky ©. Courtesy of CBS Films

Memory is a funny thing. One can feel so certain of one’s own memories that it is jarring when others’ recollection of events does not match.

The tricks of memory are at the heart of the unforgettable The Sense Of An Ending, director Ritesh Batra’s screen adaptation of Julian Barnes’ short novel. In this American/British film, Jim Broadbent stars as Tony Webster, a curmudgeonly older man who lives alone, opening his tiny camera repair shop daily and seeming to live a joyless existence. His shop only sells and repairs old Leica cameras, and he seems to regard the occasional customer more as an interruption than the reason for this business. His dull routine is interrupted by the arrival of a letter, informing him he as been left something in a will.

Following the first trailer that debuted in November, Fox Searchlight Pictures has released the second trailer for Far from the Madding Crowd. This adaptation hits theaters on May 1, which unfortunately pits it against the highly-anticipated blockbuster Avengers: Age of Ultron, so we'll have to wait and see how it holds up at the box office.

Based on the literary classic by Thomas Hardy, this is the story of independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan), who attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), a sheep farmer, captivated by her fetching willfulness; Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge), a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), a prosperous and mature bachelor. This timeless story of Bathsheba's choices and passions explores the nature of relationships and love - as well as the human ability to overcome hardships through resilience and perseverance.

Juno Temple and Hilton McRae co-star in this drama from director Thomas Vinterberg.

Author Thomas Hardy's beloved novel Far from the Madding Crowd comes to life in the first trailer for this Fox Searchlight adaptation. Carey Mulligan stars as a young woman pulled in three different directions as she struggles to figure out her life. The movie is set for release this summer.

Far from the Madding Crowd is the story of independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan), who attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts), a sheep farmer, captivated by her fetching willfulness; Frank Troy (Tom Sturridge), a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood (Michael Sheen), a prosperous and mature bachelor. This timeless story of Bathsheba's choices and passions explores the nature of relationships and love - as well as the human ability to overcome hardships through resilience and perseverance.

Juno Temple co-stars in this adaptation, directed by Thomas Vinterberg (The Hunt), which arrives in theaters May 1, 2015 from Fox Searchlight Pictures.

She's famed for playing icy control freaks. But Lindsay Duncan wanted more laughs in her new film Le Week-End. And, really, she'd love to pack it all in and head for India

• First look review: Le Week-End

Happy news for the autumn day: love dies and flesh withers and your nearest and dearest can become your deadliest foe. This, at least, is the set up for Le Week-end, a bitter, biting drama about bitter, biting people; a film that rages against the dying of the light. Lindsay Duncan and Jim Broadbent star as Meg and Nick, a pair of sparring academics whose 30th anniversary hits the buffers as their train pulls into Paris's Gare du Nord. Up ahead we shall find squabbles, misery and the rattling spectre of adultery. "I was always asking for more laughs," Duncan says ruefully. "That didn't get me anywhere."

I meet the actor in a north London cafe,...