The movies that made me want to make movies were action movies, and thrillers, and Kurosawa films, you know, where you have an opportunity every day to shoot it in an unusual way. I was looking for something like that.

He has received four Academy Award nominations for screenplays to The Big Chill Grand Canyon and The Accidental Tourist for which he also earned a nomination for Best Picture. He was a student of Professor Kenneth Thorpe Rowe. He is best known as the co-writer of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.

He is best known as the co-writer of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back Raiders of the Lost Ark and Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. Kasdan has been confirmed to be a consultant for the upcoming third trilogy of Star Wars
He is the father of directors Jake Kasdan and Jon Kasdan and the father-in-law of musician Inara George.