'Solo: A Star Wars Story' original directors said Alden Ehrenreich was literally the first actor they saw for Han Solo, but they still auditioned 3,000 people

Disney/Lucasfilm

• According to Esquire, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the original directors of "Solo: A Star Wars Story," auditioned 3,000 actors for the role of Han Solo.
• But Alden Ehrenreich, who landed the part, was "literally" the first to audition.
• Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy said the number is closer to 1,600, though - still a hefty number.

Phil Lord and Chris Miller - the original directors of "Solo: A Star Wars Story," who were fired and replaced by Ron Howard late into production - confirmed a long-standing rumor that they auditioned 3,000 actors for the role of a young Han Solo.

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But they said that Alden Ehrenreich, who landed the role, was literally the first actor they saw.

According to Esquire, the directors confirmed that Ehrenreich was the first actor of thousands they saw for the part, and that he "remained the person to beat from day one."

The rumor of 3,000 auditions circulated when Ehrenreich was confirmed for the role in 2016, but this is the first time the directors have talked publicly it.

"We brought [Ehrenreich] in many times, pushed him, tried to test his range, and he was always up for it and brought something new, with a great sense of humor," Miller told Esquire.

"He felt classic and contemporary all at once," Lord added. "He seemed like a tough guy who was really scared."

Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy estimated they saw fewer actors, putting the number at 1,600, but told Esquire that Ehrenreich "stood out from his very first screen test."

Either way, that is a huge amount of auditions.

Hopefully Ehrenreich impresses in the final film. He accidentally told Esquire that he's signed on for three "Star Wars" movies, so we can assume he's expected to be in two more after "Solo" - despite reports that Lucasfilm hired an acting coach to help with his performance.

"Solo: A Star Wars Story" comes to theaters on May 25.