You're Never Weird on the Internet (Almost)

by Felicia Day

“Oh, they’re from Star Wars. Part of the power generator inside the shield generator on Endor.” I looked closer. “They look . . . janky. What are they made out of?” “Dixie Cups.” “Wait, what? You mean the . . .” “Yes, the disposable cups. They’re spray-painted, see?” My guide lifted up the prop delicately and turned it over for me. Sure enough, I could see that underneath all the paint and decoration was a cup I could pull from a dispenser next to an office water bottle. “Um . . . what?” “During the filming of Star Wars, Lucas ran out of money, and the studio wouldn’t give him more. He invested his own money in the film in exchange for the merchandising rights . . .” “. . . and that’s why he’s a billionaire.” “Right. But they still had to cut a lot of corners. Some of the props, even wardrobe pieces like the cuffs on the slave Leia costume, had to be cobbled together any way they could.” “By painting Dixie Cups.” I stared at the prop in awe. It probably cost half a penny to make, and was a piece of the biggest movie franchise ever created. Definitely the most inspiring object I’d ever seen.