Star Wars CCO Dave Filoni Has Just One Regret About Ray Stevenson's Baylan Skoll
As most Star Wars fans are likely aware, actor Ray Stevenson died soon after filming his role as former Jedi Baylan Skoll in "Ahsoka." So, while the Disney+ series fully incorporates his performance as intended, the character's future trajectory is unknown.
On November 21, Vanity Fair published a lengthy report about the direction of the Star Wars franchise in the wake of "Ahsoka," predicated in part by the news that its showrunner and Star Wars TV series architect Dave Filoni was newly appointed as chief creative officer of Lucasfilm. On the subject of Stevenson's "Ahsoka" role, Filoni shared that he harbors a sole regret. "I think he would've been over the moon," he said about the fact that Skoll became something of a fan favorite. "The big regret here is that he didn't get to experience that."
Filoni noted that Stevenson was present at the annual Star Wars Celebration that took place this past year in April, the month before his death. While Stevenson personally got to see fans already stoked for his Star Wars character based solely on preview footage that aired at that time, Filoni nevertheless wished that his late collaborator could have seen just how much Star Wars fans took to Skoll after watching the finished product. "They've been nothing but wonderful about Ray and the character," Filoni continued.
Ray Stevenson had a great time filming his debut live-action Star Wars role
Baylan Skoll wasn't Ray Stevenson's first canonical role in the Star Wars universe. That distinction goes to a Mandalorian named Gar Saxon whom he voices in four episodes of Dave Filoni's animated Star Wars series, encompassing both "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" and "Star Wars Rebels."
That said, in interviews he conducted at the Star Wars Celebration in April, he seemed particularly excited about his debut live-action Star Wars character. He told Entertainment Weekly, for example, that his first time wielding a lightsaber on set, he couldn't help vocalizing the iconic lightsaber sound effect. While discussing Skoll's character, meanwhile, he repeatedly stressed how much he appreciated the part. "There's something that's driving him that Dave Filoni and Jon [Favreau] know, and is hopefully going to be revealed throughout the telling," he said. "And it's just breathtaking."
So, while Stevenson himself may not be around to see the positive reception to the work he put into his character, fans can rest assured that his acclaimed performance was the product of what seems to have been a genuine sense of enthusiasm.