Star Wars
‘Star Wars’ has already found a replacement for one of its late actors, and it’s a star of ‘Game of Thrones’
Ray Stevenson played the fallen Jedi Baylan Skoll in the first season of ‘Ahsoka’.
Ray Stevenson (‘Rome’, ‘Vikings’) played Baylan Skoll in ‘Star Wars Ahsoka’, one of the spin-offs of ‘The Mandalorian’. This former member of the Jedi Order was a general during the Clone Wars, but managed to survive Order 66. At some point he lost faith in the Jedi precepts and flirted with the dark side, later becoming a mercenary. Sadly, Stevenson died in May 2023 at the age of 58. However, the character has not yet said his last word, and Lucasfilm has thought of another actor who has also appeared in Game of Thrones.
According to Jeff Sneider, Rory McCann has been cast to play Baylan Skoll in the second season of ‘Ahsoka’, with filming set to begin this year, 2025. He is a familiar face to fans of the TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s work, as McCann played Sandor Clegane ‘The Hound’ in all eight seasons of ‘Game of Thrones’. He will step into the shoes of a Force user who must explore the mysteries and mythology of Peridea, a planet in an unknown galaxy, the same one where Grand Admiral Thrawn and Jedi Ezra Bridger were imprisoned.
Baylan Skoll to have another adventure
Dave Filoni, showrunner of ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’, hinted that Baylan Skoll’s character arc was not yet complete, although he did not confirm at the time whether the story would continue, but then again, the second season had not yet been announced. “Obviously, there’s a story there. We’re in a wait-and-see pattern at this point. But I’m glad the conversation is about Ray and how great he was… I used to have mini debates with him and say, ‘Ray, you’re the villain here.’ And he’d be like, ‘I don’t think so.’ I was like, ‘I know you don’t think so, but you are. I love that you’re playing it like you’re not.’ Which is exactly the way Baylan thinks,” he said.
At the end of the first season, Grand Admiral Thrawn manages to leave the galaxy far, far away, but Ahsoka Tano, his Padawan Sabine Wren and Baylan Skoll remain. Thrawn is already the great threat and villain of the MandoVerse, which will continue through ‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’ and other productions.
The first season of Star Wars: Ahsoka is available on Disney+.
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