20 Actors You Forgot Were in Star Wars

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In a galaxy teeming with life, it often brings comfort to spot a familiar figure amidst strange, otherworldly creatures that resemble melted candy for heads. Over the past five decades, countless films, TV series, comic books, and an abundance of merchandise have birthed a generation who’ve been captivated by Star Wars, longing to contribute in some fashion to this iconic universe.

The outcome: Over the years, many well-known actors have appeared in Star Wars; some in brief, easily overlooked supporting roles before they became A-list stars, and others in similar roles due to their stardom and ardent affection for Star Wars, which made them eager to participate in even a single scene for the opportunity to be part of this cherished franchise. (Isn’t it understandable? Who wouldn’t want to portray a character who angers Boba Fett? That’s truly a dream come true.)

Take a look at the following list, showcasing 19 well-known actors from films and television (along with a renowned musician) who had tiny or insignificant roles in Star Wars productions. It’s likely you’ve forgotten about these appearances, but they did occur! The history of that distant galaxy is extensive and complex.

20 Actors You Forgot Were in Star Wars

Michael Biehn

In the realm of science fiction, renowned actor Michael Biehn is recognized for his tough roles in James Cameron’s movies, “The Terminator” and “Aliens”. He made an appearance in the second season of “The Mandalorian”, Star Wars’ latest series, portraying another rugged character – a mercenary named Lang. Lang functions as muscle for Morgan Elsbeth in this show. His path intersects with, and eventually ends (spoiler alert), in a confrontation with the Mandalorian. Such is often the fate of guest stars on television shows.

Jack Black (and Lizzo!)

In an unexpected twist in Star Wars history, one of the most unconventional guest appearances occurred in Chapter 22 of The Mandalorian. Mando and his team found themselves on Plazir-15, a planet governed by none other than Jack Black and Lizzo. Some might say it was an unusual choice for casting, but they certainly fit the bill as quirky space rulers.

Rose Byrne

In the early stages of her acting career, before becoming well-known for her roles in “Insidious” and “Bridesmaids”, Rose Byrne appeared as one of Senator Amidala’s unnamed handmaidens in a scene from “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones”. She certainly seemed excited to be part of it.

Jodie Comer

In Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, viewers who paid close attention during the brief glimpse into Rey’s difficult past might have recognized Jodie Comer from Killing Eve. It turns out that Rey’s mother is none other than Miramir, a character played by Comer. Interestingly, Rey’s father, Dathan, is actually a relative of Emperor Palpatine in a roundabout way. Despite the fact that Palpatine was the heir to the galaxy’s most infamous evil, Miramir chose to marry him. It seems she has a knack for choosing challenging partners!

Jon Favreau

Jon Favreau, renowned in the Star Wars universe, is not only recognized as the creator of The Mandalorian and the voice actor for one of its characters, Pre Vizsla. However, his involvement in the Star Wars universe extends beyond these roles. Prior to the release of The Mandalorian, Favreau lent his voice to Rio, an alien character who was part of Tobias Beckett’s crew. Regrettably, things didn’t end well for Rio, but they certainly have for Favreau, as he now takes on the role of both writer and director for the upcoming The Mandalorian & Grogu movie.

Sarah Michelle Gellar

Several well-known actors have also made appearances in the animated Star Wars series. People who only watch the live-action versions might not be aware that Sarah Michelle Gellar, famously known as Buffy, provided the voice for the villainous Seventh Sister during the second season of Star Wars Rebels. In total, she appeared in six episodes, delivering a convincing performance as the character. (Give her clips a listen; she does a great job as an Inquisitor.)

Keira Knightley

To keep from ruining a 25-year-old film for you, let me tell you that “The Phantom Menace” has a storyline where Queen Amidala often conceals her identity using handmaidens who resemble her. The Jedi and young Anakin Skywalker interact frequently with one of these handmaidens named Padmé, unaware that they are actually talking to Amidala herself. (Amidala is a ruler who has a common touch.) Meanwhile, another handmaiden impersonates Queen Amidala, and this handmaiden was portrayed by a young Keira Knightley before her “Pirates of the Caribbean” days. I must admit; at that age, they do share a striking resemblance.

John Leguizamo

If you didn’t recognize actor John Leguizamo in “The Marshal” episode of The Mandalorian’s second season, don’t worry. His character, Gor Koresh, was quite different from his usual self: a scoundrel with an alien appearance featuring a combover, potbelly, green skin, and just one eye. That’s why it might have been hard to recognize him!

Christopher Lloyd

Wow! It’s none other than Christopher Lloyd who made an appearance, albeit more familiar, on “The Mandalorian” in Season 3 Episode 6 titled “Guns For Hire.” He portrayed Commissioner Helgait, the seemingly unthreatening head of security on Plazir-15, a planet governed by the well-known duo Lizzo and Jack Black. Mando and his team unveil Helgait’s deceitful plans and bring peace back to the planet. What an exciting week we had on “The Mandalorian,” right?

Tim Meadows

In the third season of “The Mandalorian,” the cameos became quite outrageous. For instance, in the episode titled “The Pirate,” we encountered Tim Meadows, a well-known comedian from “Saturday Night Live,” portraying Colonel Tuttle – a New Republic member who questions the doubts of X-wing pilot Carson Teva regarding the Empire’s potential resurgence following the events in “Return of the Jedi.” Frankly, it seems absurd that Palpatine could ever return, doesn’t it? I mean, surely there’s no way he could somehow make a comeback, right? Right??

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda, famous for “In the Heights” and “Hamilton”, initially added his musical talent to the Star Wars universe by composing a song for Maz Kanata’s cantina in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”. As a token of appreciation, he was awarded a cameo appearance in “The Rise of Skywalker”. You can find him during the Resistance celebration after the final battle; look closely in the scene where Rose Tico hugs Chewbacca.

Simon Pegg

In case you haven’t seen bonus footage, you might not know that the character Unkar Plutt, who trades food with Rey, was portrayed by Simon Pegg, famous for “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz.” Pegg also suggested an additional scene where Plutt confronted Rey for stealing the Millennium Falcon. In this scene, Chewbacca intervenes – tearing off a whole quarter of Plutt’s arm!

If you haven’t watched behind-the-scenes content, you might not be aware that Unkar Plutt, the character who trades with Rey, was played by Simon Pegg, known for “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz.” Pegg even proposed an extra scene where Plutt confronted Rey about stealing the Millennium Falcon. During this scene, Chewbacca stepped in – ripping off a full quarter of Plutt’s arm!

Stephen Root

In Episode 3 of “The Book of Boba Fett,” Boba Fett encountered an unscrupulous water vendor named Lortha Peel, who sought his aid in dealing with a group that kept pilfering his supplies. Instead of eliminating the culprits, Fett provided them jobs and then held Peel accountable for his high prices. This role was portrayed by Stephen Root, a popular actor recognized from TV shows like “NewsRadio” and movies such as “Dodgeball,” “O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” and “Office Space.” If only Peel had offered Boba Fett his iconic red stapler as a token of appreciation, he might have agreed to take care of those troublemakers for him.

George Takei

George Takei, best known for his role as Lieutenant (later Captain) Sulu in numerous episodes of the famed “Star Trek” series and all six original cast films from the 1970s, ’80s, and ’90s, is one of the most connected figures to the “Star Trek” universe. Interestingly, there is minimal overlap between the “Trek” and “Star Wars” universes; however, Takei’s distinctive voice can be heard in an episode of “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” where he plays an alien general named Lok Durd. How remarkable!

Sophie Thatcher

In the popular series “The Book of Boba Fett”, Stephen Root’s character aimed to eliminate a particular group of gangsters. Interestingly, one of these gangsters is portrayed by Sophie Thatcher, who gained recognition for her roles in “Yellowjackets” and recent horror films such as “Heretic” and “Companion”. It would have been thrilling if she had played a character like Black Krrsantan or another intriguing role instead.

Justin Theroux

In “The Last Jedi,” the Resistance later joins forces with a deceitful codebreaker portrayed by Benicio del Toro. However, the individual they initially aim to recruit is a man sporting a stylish white suit and a streak of skunk-colored hair in his hair – played by Justin Theroux from “The Leftovers.” Unfortunately, Rose and Finn fail to enlist this character for their mission before they are apprehended; the arrest happens so swiftly that the character remains unnamed throughout the film. In Wookiepedia, Theroux’s gambler is referred to as “Master Codebreaker,” and it is stated that he was cast in the role just one day prior to filming.

Danny Trejo

In the latest episode of “The Book of Boba Fett”, stars Stephen Root and Sophie Thatcher appear. The storyline ends with Boba Fett triumphing over a pair of Hutt twins, who bestow upon him a rancor as a token to gain his favor. Interestingly, the rancor is managed by Danny Trejo, an accomplished actor known for his tough roles in movies like “Heat”, “xXx”, and numerous films directed by Robert Rodriguez, including “Desperado”, “Grindhouse”, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”, “Spy Kids”, and “Machete”. Can you guess who directed this particular episode of “Boba Fett”? That’s right, it was Robert Rodriguez.

Titus Welliver

Titus Welliver is recognized for his roles in TV shows like “Lost” and “Sons of Anarchy”, but he truly shines as the lead in detective series “Bosch” and its spin-off “Bosch: Legacy”. In the third season of “The Mandalorian”, a popular “Star Wars” show, he appeared in an episode titled “The Heiress”, playing an Imperial Captain who was allied with the villainous Moff Gideon. For our convenience, let’s just assume his character’s name was Captain B’Osch.

Dominic West

Before you recognized him as Detective Jimmy McNulty from “The Wire”, Dominic West made a brief appearance in “Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace” as a minor character named Jerus Jannick. In the film, he can be spotted among the guards at Queen Amidala’s palace, particularly during the scene where Anakin visits Padmé for the first time. A uniformed guard prevents him from entering her chambers at one point – that’s who you’re looking at, McNutty!

10 Actors Who Turned Down Star Wars Roles

1. Kurt Russell, Luke Skywalker

In the 1970s, Kurt Russell was a prominent leading man, gracing the screens in notable films such as “Once Upon A Time in Hollywod”, “Escape From New York”, and “Overboard”. Regardless of the projects he picked, he consistently emerged victorious – that is, until he opted out of “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”. He had a chance to play either Han Solo or Luke Skywalker, but chose to abandon the project altogether in favor of ABC’s western series “The Quest”, which unfortunately only ran for one season. Russell later revealed to The Daily Beast that he told George Lucas, “I have to decide on this Western and I have to go to work”. Lucas replied, “I can’t give you an answer.” So, Russell decided to take the Western role, saying, “There will be one less guy to think about.

2. Rooney Mara, Jyn Erso

As the captivating actress who made waves with my standout role in “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” I found myself in high demand, including a meeting with “Rogue One” director Garth Edwards. However, after our conversation, I realized that the part wasn’t suited for me. With a busy schedule, I was already committed to a film and working six-day weeks. Reading for the role just wouldn’t align with my current commitments, so I chose not to pursue it further. I shared this decision with Deadline, explaining my reasoning.

3. Benicio Del Toro, Darth Maul

In this scenario, an actor named Benicio Del Toro fully embraced his role as the notorious villain Darth Maul in the Star Wars series. However, when George Lucas reduced his lines significantly in the prequel trilogy, Del Toro decided to step away from the production. Despite having donned the character’s distinctive black-and-red costume and makeup, he was ultimately replaced by martial artist Ray Park, who instead emphasized Darth Maul’s physical attributes.

4. Jim Henson, Yoda

Through the passage of time, Yoda has emerged as one of the most indelible figures in the Star Wars universe. Originally, George Lucas intended to entrust the role of this wise, aged character to Jim Henson, renowned for his creation of Muppet characters like Kermit the Frog. However, as Lucas and Henson collaborated, Henson guided Lucas towards recognizing that he wasn’t the ideal choice for the role. In the end, Henson proposed that Lucas collaborate with Frank Oz instead, and since then, history has been made.

5. Jodie Foster, Princess Leia

Although Jodie Foster is famous for her mature roles such as FBI agent Clarice Starling in “The Silence of the Lambs”, she was already an accomplished actor during her teenage years. Before Carrie Fisher landed the role of Princess Leia, it was initially offered to Foster, who would have been approximately 14 at the time. Sadly, Foster had to decline the part due to a clash in schedules, as she was working on “Taxi Driver” at that moment. Since Princess Leia is required to kiss a character who later turns out to be her brother, it’s probably for the best that a 14-year-old didn’t take on the role. Moreover, Foster has no regrets about how her career unfolded. In an interview with Empire magazine in 2007, she stated, “I don’t think I’m going to be on my deathbed saying, ‘Darn! I missed out on Star Wars’.

6. Leonardo DiCaprio, Anakin Skywalker

As Leonardo DiCaprio immersed himself in the transformative character of Jack Dawson in James Cameron’s Titanic, it doesn’t follow that he was instantly prepared for a repeat performance. When presented with the opportunity to play Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, I was still basking in the afterglow of Titanic’s success. Consequently, I decided against accepting the role. In an interview with Shortlist, DiCaprio revealed that he had a meeting with George Lucas about the part, but ultimately chose to step away. “I just didn’t feel ready to make that leap,” he stated.

7. Tupac Shakur, Mace Windu

Did you know that Tupac Shakur, the famous rapper, auditioned for the role of Mace Windu in 1996? According to Rick Clifford, former engineer at Death Row Records, they wanted him to be a Jedi. However, it was Samuel L. Jackson who eventually landed the part. Tupac had been reading for several roles following his appearances in films like “Juice” and “Above the Rim.” Sadly, Shakur’s life ended prematurely at age 25 after a drive-by shooting in 1996. It’s interesting to imagine what a unique and cool portrayal of Mace Windu Tupac would have given us.

8. Gary Oldman, General Grievous

It’s fascinating that Gary Oldman was unable to voice the character of General Grievous in “Revenge of the Sith” due to a technicality related to unions. Since “Revenge of the Sith” wasn’t a Screen Actors Guild film, it prohibited Oldman from taking part. In 2004, his manager, Doug Urbanski, told Variety that they had asked George Lucas to request special permission for Oldman to work on the movie, but the union became upset and remained so. Urbanski added that they were puzzled by the situation, but out of respect and solidarity for the union, Oldman chose not to participate in the project.

9. Al Pacino, Han Solo

In the early stages, the story of Harrison Ford being cast in Star Wars is now legendary. At first, Ford was just reading scripts during auditions, but George Lucas took notice of his spot-on portrayal of the character. However, before this, Al Pacino was seriously considered for the role of Han Solo. Yet, he declined because he didn’t grasp the script. This decision was made before Star Wars became the blockbuster franchise it is known as today – it was all new and unexplored territory. During an event titled “An Evening with Al Pacino,” the actor expressed that he has no regrets about his choice. “You know who else I helped kickstart a career? Harrison Ford,” he said.

10. Burt Reynolds, Han Solo

It’s interesting to note that alongside Al Pacino, Burt Reynolds was seriously considered for the iconic role of Han Solo. However, he ultimately declined the offer, a decision he now admits he regrets. Despite a flourishing career with notable roles in films like “Smokey & the Bandit,” “The Longest Yard,” and “Boogie Nights,” Reynolds acknowledges that joining the Star Wars universe would have been a significant addition to his repertoire. In an interview with Business Insider in 2016, he admitted, “I didn’t want to play that kind of role at the time. Now I regret it. I wish I had taken it.” Reynolds has a history of turning down high-profile roles, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather and James Bond.

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2025-04-09 20:25