Freddie Prinze Jr. loves it when 'insecure boys' have meltdowns about 'Star Wars'
Not so long ago, in our very own galaxy, casting was announced for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Freddie Prinze Jr. just leaned back and watched.
"A lot of boys growing up spent their allowances that Millennium Falcon, and they dreamt every single day that one day Han Solo would give it to them. And he gave it to a girl," Prinze told AOL at a recent cooking demo with Dunkin' Donuts. "That just wrecked a lot of insecure boys' hearts, man. And I'm so glad."
Beyond Prinze's obvious love for all things George Lucas -- he "nerded out" while auditioning for his voiceover role in "Star Wars Rebels" -- there's perhaps another reason why he loved seeing a female heroine in Episode VII: His wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar, played one of the most kick-butt characters in TV history. But even though "Buffy" ended more than a decade ago, Prinze pointed out that many men still object to women in powerful on-screen roles.
"I loved how much some people hated that ['Star Wars'] chose a female lead who's strong. I loved seeing guys show their insecure ass like that on social media," Prinze said. "I think it's awesome for people to see where we are a a society as opposed to where we sell ourselves as."
It'll take a great leader to enact real change, but Prinze doesn't currently see that happening, he said. "Obi-Wan said it best. He doesn't trust politicans. And I don't trust them on either side of the fence."
His 7-year-old Charlotte and Rocky, 4, are (of course) fans of the franchise themselves, he said. A devoted parent above all else, Prinze relies on healthy eating and a few cups of coffee to keep up with their energy: The Back to the Kitchen author is all about a full breakfast and Dunkin Donuts' new Brew-It-Yourself cold brew packs, and he readily admits that he's game for an extra cup "if it's going to be a long night," he said.
Catch Prinze in the fourth and final season of "Star Wars Rebels" this fall on Disney XD.
