Dave Filoni Explains the Impact Losing Ray Stevenson Had on Ahsoka Season 2

When Ray Stevenson died, Ahsoka play 2 astir died with it. Dave Filoni, the show’s creator, was astatine Star Wars Celebration Japan this play and did a sheet about his Disney+ show. Along the way, the taxable of Stevenson’s passing came up and Filoni got visibly emotional. Stevenson played fallen Jedi Master Baylan Skoll, a quality that intelligibly had a immense relation to play successful the aboriginal of the series—however, Filoni revealed it went overmuch deeper than that.

“Season 2 was evidently a large situation anyway, but it was a peculiarly large situation due to the fact that of a losing Ray,” Filoni said during the panel. “He was conscionable the top idiosyncratic and specified a large tone connected the show. I knew Ray from moving successful dependable acting with him, I conscionable ever instantly connected with him and thought, ‘When I marque live-action, I request this feline to represent a almighty Jedi Knight that person had successful mind.’ And helium did not disappoint successful immoderate way. Ray was the astir beauteous idiosyncratic connected surface and off, helium was fantastic to each of us. However large of a nonaccomplishment you deliberation it is, it’s bigger.”

“It was a situation for maine adjacent to see continuing [Ahsoka] for a while,” helium continued. “But I person a large enactment radical with Jon [Favreau] and Rosario [Dawson] and I recovered a way. I had Ray successful my caput and I’m grateful for each the conversations with him astir Baylan. So I understood what to do, it conscionable took a portion to get there. But I’m precise assured present that Ray would beryllium blessed with the absorption that we’ve chosen.”

Season 1 ended with Baylan connected a idiosyncratic quest to find deeper meaning successful the Force, with Ahsoka and Sabine blistery connected his tail. But according to Filoni, the crushed for Baylan existing is much than conscionable arsenic a atrocious guy.

“The quality was meant to beryllium important,” Filoni said. “He’s meant to beryllium the parallel to Ahsoka successful each way. If there’s a light, there’s a acheronian and Baylan is representing a antithetic travel of a Jedi that’s mislaid his way. As overmuch arsenic [Ahsoka] represents 1 that’s benignant of walked distant from the Order, truthful did he. And that parallel is thing that indispensable continue.”

Rory McCann arsenic Baylan Skoll successful Ahsoka Season 2 – io9/Lucasfilm

Knowing helium wanted to proceed the communicative to grant Stevenson, Filoni and enforcement shaper Jon Favreau knew determination was lone 1 option: recast the character. And arsenic previously reported, they recovered their antheral successful Scottish histrion Rory McCann. “In essence, due to the fact that Ray performed it truthful iconically, determination is simply a blueprint for what this quality should be,” Filoni said. “And past I talked to Jon and Jon and I decided that we conscionable needed to find the close idiosyncratic that would not conscionable recognize the character, but besides recognize a spot of what Ray brought to it arsenic well. It’s thing imperceptible. Something conscionable successful the eyes, to beryllium honest, and I deliberation we some felt precise fortunate that we met Rory McCann. So Rory volition beryllium taking implicit the role.”

Filoni said that McCann, champion known for roles in Game of Thrones and Hot Fuzz, is coming successful with 1 main goal: marque the bequest of Ray Stevenson unrecorded on. “[Rory] takes it precise seriously. He’s a large antheral with a large heart, and helium has specified respect for Ray and what helium brought to this. I cognize this sole absorption is not letting Ray down and not letting you guys down. You’ll emotion them, and we emotion him and I emotion what he’s taking on. It’s a large deal, truthful the unit is with him.”

Ahsoka play 2 starts shooting by the extremity of April. No connection connected a merchandise date, but we person to ideate sometime successful precocious 2026.

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