See how they made BB-8 talk in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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It may just sound like beeps and boops to us, but the droid-speak heard in Star Wars actually has roots in human conversation. Or at least BB-8's does. A newly-released featurette available in the Star Wars: The Force Awakens Collector's Edition set shows how the rolly-polly scene-stealer's unique sound was made.

The "Sounds of the Resistance" video shows Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation) and Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live) serving as "voice consultants" for the scene-stealing ball. This means that the former recorded lines of understandable dialogue - telling Rey "thank you" and "I have to stay here, I can't just leave" - and creating a baseline to work from.

This is cool and all, but it reminds me of hearing Chewbacca speak English. Which is to say I am simultaneously awed and freaked out.

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Sam Prell
Sam Prell

Sam is a former News Editor here at GamesRadar. His expert words have appeared on many of the web's well-known gaming sites, including Joystiq, Penny Arcade, Destructoid, and G4 Media, among others. Sam has a serious soft spot for MOBAs, MMOs, and emo music. Forever a farm boy, forever a '90s kid.