There are many well-known and new characters in the Star Wars movies who viewers were eager to see visit the galaxy far, far away. However, there was one cameo that most people didn’t anticipate, and some might not have even recognized it when it occurred. Seven months before The Force Awakens opened, Simon Pegg let it slip that Daniel Craig has a cameo in the movie.

Fans tried hard to figure it out. But the scene and character were a mystery for a long time. It was eventually confirmed after the movie opened, but director Rian Johnson guessed it before everyone else.

The Cameo Details

In the movie, Daisy Ridley’s character Rey tries a Jedi mind trick on a Stormtrooper at one point in the film.

Here’s the clip:

Jedi Mind Trick

As it happens, Daniel Craig played the Stormtrooper. It would have been hard for moviegoers to identify the actor because he never takes off his helmet, and the voice box that he wears obscures his voice. Careful fans of Craig know that he has a distinctive way of pronouncing “S.” But most people wouldn’t notice it unless you’re looking for it.

But there’s one person who realized someone special was under the helmet.

Rian Johnson’s Prediction

Johnson revealed how he was able to figure it out early—well, mostly—during a recent Q&A session for the most recent Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man, which was conducted by JJ Abrams, the director of The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, and included Craig himself.

“When I was writing episode eight, we were watching dailies, because [Abrams was] shooting seven,” Johnson said. “One day… it was a scene with Daisy [Ridley] where she does the Force mind control on a Stormtrooper and gets him to unlock her things. The daily came up, the Stormtrooper came up, she said it, the Stormtrooper didn’t say anything—just walked across the room to her.

“And I did this,” Johnson continued, adjusting himself to sit straight in his seat. “‘Who’s that actor?’ And Pablo [Hidalgo] at Lucasfilm was like, ‘I think it’s just a stunt dude in a Stormtrooper thing,’ and I go, ‘No—that’s a real actor, just from the way they walked across the stage.’”

The rest, of course, is history. A day later, Johnson received confirmation that he was correct and that it was none other than the future Benoit Blanc.

How did it happen? It turns out Craig is a huge Star Wars fan. He was at Pinewood Studios filming the James Bond film Spectre. They were filming the first sequel at another part of the lot. Craig had worked with Ben Dixon, one of the assistant directors of Star Wars, on multiple James Bond movies. So he asked if he could have a small part, and Abrams agreed.

Why It Matters

Daniel Craig’s secret Star Wars cameo matters because it delights fans with a hidden Easter egg. Star Wars fans (movie fans really) love hidden details and cameos. His Stormtrooper role is a fun Easter egg that rewards careful viewers. Johnson correctly guessing Craig’s cameo demonstrates his deep understanding of acting and directing. He recognized how a professional actor moves on a set.

Daniel Craig’s secret Star Wars cameo shocked fans, and Rian Johnson’s prediction makes it even cooler. If you’re a Star Wars fan, see where this film lands in our ranking of the movies.

What other hidden surprises do you think are waiting in a galaxy far, far away? Share your guesses below!