Indiana Jones star claims he was "underused" in Dial of Destiny
Sallah star John Rhys-Davies said he starred in the film because he didn't want to let down fans of the franchise.
John Rhys-Davies, star of the Indiana Jones franchise, has said that he felt his character of Sallah was "underused" in new film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
Rhys-Davies, who is also known for his role as Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, previously played Sallah in Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and told The Mirror that before signing on for the film, he asked whether the part would be "worth the plane journey".
He said it was told "of course it will be" but admitted that he felt underused in the narrative, while questioning whether there was anything new added for the character.
He said: "But how can you let down the audience for what might be the last in the five? Was there anything new to be found in the part as is given? I have to see the film again, I don’t know. Personally, I felt underused, but I’m not allowed to say things like that. Oh dear!"
The new film is expected to be the last in the franchise, with Harrison Ford having confirmed that he will now be hanging up his bullwhip and fedora.
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Ford recently spoke with RadioTimes.com about starring as the character for one last time, saying: "It's been extraordinary. It's been 15 years since we made one of these movies. During that period of time, families have passed the four films on to a new generation of filmmakers and it's a different time in life - but Indiana Jones still has some magical appeal."
He also added: "I think it comes from just the nature of the films and the fact that they're family films and they're honest entertainments. There's a lot of action in it, but it's not core; there's a lot of humour in it, but it's not crude humour.
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"This is a special kind of film and in this world that we're living in, with all the division into camps, there's a feeling that this is crosscutting all that stuff and this is about something else, something that used to be strong in our cultures, which is a sense of our common humanity, and we're missing that."
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is now showing in UK cinemas. Visit our Film hub for the latest news and features, or find something to watch tonight with our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
