The Robot from Fritz Lang's Metropolis "Back when I was doing the initial concept artwork for Star Wars, George had photographs of the Metropolis robot, which he said he'd like C-3P0 to look like, except that I should make it a boy." - Ralph McQuarrie

Star Wars producion painting by Ralph McQuarrie

"When I was first auditioning for the role of C-3P0, I saw Ralph McQuarrie's painting.  I really related to that image.  I thought it was a beautiful picture and a beautiful character." - Anthony Daniels

"I originally envisioned C-3P0 without all the joints and everything.  It was more streamlined, a ballet-like figure, very elegant.  I like restrained elegance.

"If you look at my drawing, I never did solve the eyes.  I just had little holes drilled in this metal mask.  When John Barry was brought on as production designer, he and George and I had a little meeting.  I had brought some of my drawings and paintings, and John was looking through them, and he looked at Threepio and immediately made a little thumbnail sketch of Threepio's head with big round eyes.  It was perfect." - Ralph McQuarrie

"The initial idea in Phantom Menace was to give Threepio an automotive-type substructure.

"George later thought this might be a little too structured and wanted him disassembled even more." - Doug Chiang

"He starts out as a droid.  He ends up as a droid.  He has a very unhappy droid life inbetween." - George Lucas