Entertainment
All 8 Star Wars Cameos in ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’
Spoiler Alert: This list contains spoilers for The Mandalorian and Grogu.After seven long years, Star Wars finally returned with a new movie, even if the wait wasn’t that bad because of the many Disney+ TV shows. One such series was The Mandalorian, easily the most popular show Disney+ put out because of its badass action and adorable star, Grogu. With the success of the show, Disney felt like a movie sequel would be the best return to the big screen, and while that is up for debate, there is no denying that Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is one of the most enjoyable Star Wars movies of all time.
The Mandalorian and Grogu have received mixed reviews, but most Star Wars fans appreciate the passion, references, and enjoyability this movie possesses. On the topic of references, there were more than just familiar creatures or Easter eggs, but a handful of Star Wars cameos. That is why this list will highlight every single cameo in The Mandalorian and Grogu, with each person appearing somehow associated with the beloved franchise. While Martin Scorsese was in a cameo, he wasn’t previously in any Star Wars media, meaning he won’t be featured on this list.
Lee Isaac Chung
Out of all the cameos in The Mandalorian and Grogu, most of them were directors of previous TV shows, such as The Mandalorian, with the first on this list being Lee Isaac Chung. While he has directed a few episodes of Star Wars shows, he is best known for helming the blockbuster movie Twisters and the critically acclaimed Minari.
Many of the cameos on this list have appeared sometime before, but for Chung, this is his first on-screen cameo, making it one to remember. Officially credited as Dok Suri, he played one of the X-Wing pilots at the end of the movie who helped Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu escape by bombing the Hutts Castle.
Rick Famuyiwa
Another director who made a quick appearance during The Mandalorian and Grogu was Rick Famuyiwa. He is a well-known Star Wars director who made his mark in shows such as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. Famuyiwa even directed some of the most memorable episodes in The Mandalorian, including the penultimate episode of Season 2, along with the Ahsoka finale.
Unlike Chung, this isn’t Famuyiwa’s first cameo. In fact, it is his fourth, appearing as his character, Jib Dodger, in one episode of The Mandalorian Season 1, and in two episodes in Season 3. Joining other cameos in the Adelphi Base hangar, he was chatting away with other pilots and also showed up at the end for the bombing sequence. As a prominent Star Wars director, Famuyiwa is likely to make another cameo in a future project for his fifth appearance.
Doug Chiang
As mentioned, most of the cameos on this list are directors who made a quick appearance, but Doug Chiang, on the other hand, is the Vice President and Creative Director at Lucasfilm. He originally worked for Industrial Light and Magic, creating set pieces and designing items that brought the movies to life. He then served as a design director and content supervisor for the prequels, now working on every single Star Wars movie, making him a leading figure.
Like all the cameos in The Mandalorian and Grogu so far, Chiang was also a New Republic officer, being credited as Lieutenant Blick. Despite being a key figure in Star Wars for decades, it took until now for him to make an on-screen appearance. Also, being a production designer for The Mandalorian and Grogu, he was a part of why this Star Wars movie looked so good, which was one of its best attributes.
Deborah Chow
Almost all the cameos in The Mandalorian and Grogu come inside Adelphi Base, and at the end of the film, when they bomb Nal Hutta. Alongside Chung, Famuyiwa, and Chiang, Deborah Chow, another Disney+ show director, made a brief cameo. However, this wasn’t Chow’s first cameo, appearing as Sash Ketter in two previous episodes of The Mandalorian, but this was certainly her biggest role.
After this cameo, fans hope to see her and the rest of the directors make future appearances, not only because they deserve to be recognized, but also since they are slowly building their lore in Star Wars canon. After directing the acclaimed episodes three and seven of the first season of The Mandalorian, she was able to be the series director of Obi-Wan Kenobi, which, while it received mixed reviews, included many memorable moments that cemented themselves in the lore, making it one of the best Star Wars TV shows.
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee
Some might not view this entry as a cameo rather than an actor reprising his role, but Park Sun-Hyung Lee returned as Carson Teva in The Mandalorian and Grogu. First appearing in Season 2 of The Mandalorian, he reprised his role in the third season as well as The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka. As a recurring character, Sun-Hyung Lee was probably the most easily recognizable cameo in The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Teva is one of the most prominent New Republic officers in the entire series, making cameos in most of the Disney+ TV shows. However, The Mandalorian and Grogu mark the first time he has made his big-screen appearance, with more hopefully in the future. Unfortunately, Sun-Hyung Lee had a lesser role than fans would have hoped, even having less screen time than his TV show appearances. Even though he should have been in it more, this bodes well for his future, likely returning as Carson Teva in an upcoming film.
Anthony Daniels
Up to this point, everyone on this list had been directors or production designers in Star Wars, but this marks the first time a Star Wars legend showed up in The Mandalorian and Grogu. Anthony Daniels is best known for being the iconic C-3PO in every single Star Wars movie, first highlighting the golden droid in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope. However, Daniels did not reprise his role as the legendary droid or appear as a New Republic pilot in Adelphi Base, begging the question, who was he?
Arguably one of the most hidden cameos in The Mandalorian and Grogu, Daniels was a simple voice cameo that was easily missable. His voice can be heard as an air traffic droid at Adelphi Base, keeping his streak alive of being in every single Star Wars movie. Fans would love to see more C-3PO, one of the best Star Wars characters, in more projects, but it is nice to know that the legendary actors, including Daniels, can at least appear as standalone cameos.
Sam Witwer
Every Star Wars fan knows Sam Witwer, who himself is a massive Star Wars nerd, even correcting directors and writers. From his first appearance as Star Killer in one of the best Star Wars video games to his most prominent role as Darth Maul, he is a fan-favorite who will be in anything Star Wars related. This isn’t Witwer’s first cameo either, appearing as a Shore Trooper in Season 1 of Andor.
Fans can’t wait to see Witwer as Maul in Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord, especially after the last few episodes. However, if they are really missing him, then they should catch his cameo in The Mandalorian and Grogu. He has appeared in almost every Star Wars project as of late, and in this movie, he was credited for “additional voices,” meaning he likely voiced a handful of random characters. One confirmed voice was that of a Snowtrooper early in the film. It may have been easily missable, but that is what makes this cameo all the more special.
Dave Filoni
If Witwer had the most hidden cameo in The Mandalorian and Grogu, then Dave Filoni had the most obvious appearance. The casual moviegoer might not recognize him, but he has been a crucial force in Star Wars’ return, best known for his work on Star Wars: The Clone Wars. He also created, directed, and wrote many other live-action and animated series, as well as having a hand in writing The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Filoni isn’t a stranger to cameos, having a couple of voice roles in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. However, this time he had a much bigger screen presence, appearing once at the Adelphi Base sporting his iconic cowboy hat and another time near the end of the film in his X-Wing. It was a fun cameo for Star Wars fans, and as the creative officer and president of Lucasfilm, there is a good chance viewers might see him make another cameo in the future.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login