Simon Pegg Was Part of The STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS Brain Trust

Writer/actor Simon Pegg appeared in Lucasfilm's Star Wars: The Force Awakens Comic-Con video, confirming the rumors that he has a small role in the film. We won't even recognize him when we're watching the movie this December, but in a new interview with EW, director J.J. Abrams says that appearing in the film wasn't the only way Pegg helped out:

“I will say this in terms of Simon: while he won’t be recognizable in the movie, in all honesty, his role in this – not the performance or the character – but his support and friendship has been massively important and helpful in the process. He was a wonderful partner in crime to kick the story around and ask questions and come up with ideas, and he was an incredibly helpful part of the process for all of us. I’m very grateful.

He was a sounding board. He would drop by the set because he wanted to, and when he could, he would help… We could talk about things, and he was a perfect combination of incredibly smart screenwriter, fan of the series, critical fan of the series, and friend of mine – but not just blindly supportive. He was an honest, critical friend. And he wasn’t so close to it that he became immune to things. He would come in with fresh eyes and very smart ideas. He’s one of a handful of people along the way that has been really priceless.”

Sounds like the coolest thing ever for Pegg, who obviously harbors major love for Star Wars that's been exhibited in major ways going all the way back to his days on Spaced with Edgar Wright. He was able to contribute to the story but not get so deeply involved that he can't appreciate it as a fan, which is the best of both worlds. Also, Abrams isn't the only one involved with crafting the stories for both Star Wars and Star Trek: since Pegg is co-writing Star Trek 3 and contributed to The Force Awakens, he shares that distinction as well.