The Mandalorian Star Shares Emotional Story of How Star Wars Role “Broke” Them

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Entering a widely recognized franchise midstream can be intimidating for actors, and over the past three decades, we’ve witnessed numerous gifted performers struggle following their involvement in ‘Star Wars’. Some have battled the intensity of the limelight or toxic fan behavior, but for Katee Sackhoff, it was the acting itself that proved difficult. An accomplished actor within the sci-fi realm when she assumed the role of Bo-Katan Kryze on ‘The Mandalorian‘, Sackhoff had even lent her voice to the character in animation for years prior. Yet, when it came to embodying the character in live-action, Sackhoff candidly revealed that it presented a surprising challenge as an actor. She spoke at length about this during a recent podcast conversation with her previous co-star, Tahmoh Penikett.

On their latest chat about the previous week’s episode of “The Sackhoff Show“, Sackhoff shared that she had engaged an acting coach for the first time in her career. This revelation left Penikett surprised, as he wondered why such a seasoned actress with inherent talent would require guidance. “It turns out,” Sackhoff candidly admitted, “I’ve lost all my confidence following my work on ‘Mandalorian‘.

In her own words, Sackhoff’s acting approach has typically been about following the initial gut feeling and portraying situations as they truly are. She emphasized that she hasn’t necessarily played characters but rather ones that were somewhat connected to her own identity, maintaining a sense of authenticity within her performances.

Karen Gillan, who plays Bo-Katan, stated that the character is very different from her personally. She found it challenging to connect with Bo-Katan, understanding her motives but not feeling an emotional bond. She admitted that she couldn’t relate to Bo-Katan and often struggled to empathize with her. This disconnect left her questioning her own abilities as an actress. As she was auditioning for roles on tape, she wasn’t landing any parts for three years, which eroded her self-confidence.

Eventually, Sackhoff changed her strategy by bringing on a new manager who assisted her in finding an acting coach. This coach didn’t start from scratch with Sackhoff but helped her rediscover the acting skills she had previously used and expanded them to accommodate diverse characters like Bo-Katan.

It’s great to hear that Sackhoff feels like herself again, and this is wonderful news as she has some engaging projects lined up for her ahead. Notably, she will be appearing in an undisclosed role in the upcoming series adaptation of Carrie on Prime Video, which is currently in production. For those who wish to re-experience Sackhoff’s Star Wars performances, they can stream The Mandalorian on Disney+.

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2025-08-20 20:19