Ellen DeGeneres and actress Carrie Fisher (who plays Star Wars‘ Princess Leia) tried to sell tickets to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens on opening night in DeGeneres’ latest video gimmick for her show. The two stood along West Olive Avenue in Burbank, California, with homemade signs, trying to get people driving through the Warner Bros. Studio complex to pull over.
Wearing headbands to mimic Princess Leia’s signature hair buns, they offered tickets to fans who didn’t quite believe what was happening. One generous man gave the women $100, after being told that the money would be going to a charity. A young woman offered the actresses the clothes in the back of her car for a ticket. And a young man snagged one just by doing a handstand on the sidewalk while singing the Star Wars theme composed by John Williams.
The J.J. Abrams film opens in theaters Friday, December 18.
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Write to Olivia B. Waxman at olivia.waxman@time.com