If you heard word that Sam Witwer, the voice actor behind Darth Maul, was spotted in the season two premiere of The Mandalorian, you are not alone.
With multiple fan-favorite characters from The Clone Wars making their live-action debut in this season of The Mandalorian, Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) and Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), the links between the two popular Star Wars series are becoming stronger, and fans are eager to find even more connections. So when a fan thought they noticed yet another link in the form of a cameo by actor Sam Witwer, they ran with it.
Here’s the story. After the release of “Chapter 9: The Marshal”, a photo appeared on IGN of one of the residents of Mos Pelgo, the town on Tatooine that is highlighted in the episode. The photo features a man in the background of the shot pushing cargo and looking towards Mando as he rides into town. But here's the kicker: in the details of the photo, IGN tags this character as Sam Witwer in an uncredited cameo!
So what does this mean? Is this just a sneaky appearance by a beloved character actor as a surprise for the fans? Or could there be an expansion to the role Sam Witwer plays in the Star Wars franchise, this background character foreshadowing more to come?
Turns out, it’s neither… Actually, the person in the photo, and likewise in the episode, isn’t even Sam Witwer.
The resident of Mos Pelgo in the photo is actually played by an actor named Josh Moreno who took to Twitter to point out the case of mistaken identity, stating:
"When the Star Wars fandom thinks you're [Sam Witwer] but you're actually just villager #4"
Witwer caught wind of the mistake and decided to join in on the fun, replying:
"I Wish IGN would ya know, do their due diligence and research that my hair isn't blonde... But hey."
I wish IGN would, ya know, do their due diligence and research that my hair isn't blonde... But hey.
— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) November 4, 2020
Even though the physical comparison between Moreno and Witwer is a bit of a stretch, it is completely understandable that fans would be hoping to have more of Witwer’s talents in the franchise. Ever since his portrayals of Starkiller and Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Witwer has been a major component to this galaxy far, far away. With vocal appearances in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, and Solo: A Star Wars Story just to name a few, fans are wondering if there is a possible place for Witwer, cameo or otherwise, in The Mandalorian.
While talking about the mix-up with Moreno, Witwer decided to take the opportunity to dispel more misinformation about his role in the series, specifically his connection to Dave Filoni, showrunner for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and executive producer for The Mandalorian.
In a reply to a fan, who was joking about the mistaken cameo, Witwer decided to put to rest the rumor that Filoni had discussed plot points for season two of The Mandalorian with him:
“Well, I’d love to know what those [plot points] were as I don’t recall that discussion. Which I guess means no spoilers for me ;)”
It's a pleasure. Other sites I read tell me Dave Filoni discussed plot points with me.
— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) November 4, 2020
Well, I'd love to know what those were as I don't recall that discussion.
Which I guess means no spoilers for me. ;)
So it doesn’t seem like Witwer is going to have a major role this season of The Mandalorian, but this doesn’t eliminate the possibility of the actor making an appearance in the show later down the line. Besides his notable features in the franchise, Witwer has already cameoed in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as stormtroopers. And The Mandalorian is no stranger to cameos by Star Wars alums. Matt Lanter, the voice of Anakin Skywalker in The Clone Wars, makes a cameo in “Chapter 6: The Prisoner”. Dave Filoni made a cameo in the same episode as an X-wing pilot alongside his fellow season one directors, Rick Famuyiwa and Deborah Chow.
Fans of Sam Witwer and his portrayal of Darth Maul will have to hold out hope for an appearance a little while longer. Here's hoping it's sooner rather than later.
New episodes of The Mandalorian are currently premiering every Friday exclusively on Disney+.
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