After almost five decades, there have been more than a few recasts in the Star Wars universe. Ewan McGregor was recast as Obi-Wan Kenobi for the Prequel Trilogy. Genevieve O’Reilly replaced Caroline Blakiston as Mon Mothma in several stories.
Star Wars characters are recast to deal with the death of actors, to time shift characters within the larger timeline, and to accommodate different formats like live-action movies and animated television series.
But just how many Star Wars Characters have been recast? Let’s explore the most famous Star Wars recasts and total up the number of characters played by more than one actor.
And just a warning, while mostly spoiler-free, this is a very, very long article. If you’re in a hurry, skip down to our recast Star Wars characters table.
If you plan to read it all, good luck and may the Force be with you!
How Many Characters Have Been Recast in Star Wars?
So far, at least 38 characters have been recast in Star Wars in some capacity. 35 of them involve one actor replacing another, while three recastings were ultimately retconned into separate characters. Sorry, Fake Wedge fans.
But why all these recasts?!
Well, the Prequel Trilogy created the need for recasting characters from the original three films. Even if Sir Alec Guinness were still alive during the production of Episode I in the late 1990s, an 84-year-old actor probably isn’t the right fit to play Obi-Wan Kenobi at age 25. Other prequel stories like Rogue One and Solo had to recast roles for similar reasons.
Another rationale for recasting in Star Wars is for television roles. Until recently, many film actors were hesitant to work on TV. Characters like Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, the clones, Yoda, Mace Windu, and Dooku were all recast for The Clone Wars show.
Similarly, animated characters typically need to be recast when they move to live-action. While Katee Sackhoff and Lars Mikkelsen were able to reprise their voice roles as Bo-Katan and Thrawn in live action, this isn’t always possible. As a result, the characters of Sabine, Ezra, and Hera from Rebels were recast for Ahsoka.
And some characters are recast because the actor is simply unavailable, as was the case with Bail Organa actor Jimmy Smits for the final season of Andor.
Here are the 38 Star Wars characters recast with other actors:
Recast Star Wars Characters |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Character | Original actor(s) | Recast Actor(s) | Notes |
| Emperor Palpatine | Marjorie Eaton, Elaine Baker, Clive Revill (voice) | Ian McDiarmid, Ian Abercrombie (voice), Tim Curry (voice), Sam Witwer (voice), David Decio | Decio was a stand-in for some scenes |
| Boba Fett | Jeremy Bulloch, John Morton, Jason Wingreen (voice) | Mark Austin, Nelson Hall, Don Bies, Daniel Logan (young Boba), Temuera Morrison, Kirk Jenkins, Eddie Perez, Finnegan Garay, J. J. Dashnaw, Eyad Elbitar, Trevor Morgan | |
| Jabba the Hutt | Declan Mulholland (deleted scenes), Toby Philpott, David Barclay, Mike Edmonds, Larry Ward (voice) | Kevin Michael Richardson | |
| Obi-Wan Kenobi | Sir Alec Guinness | Ewan McGregor, James Arnold Taylor (voice), Stephen Stanton (voice) | |
| Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader | David Prowse, James Earl Jones (voice) | Jake Lloyd, Hayden Christensen, Matt Lanter (voice), Spencer Wilding, Dmitrious Bistrevsky, Tom O’Connell | Wilding, Bistrevsky, and O’Connell were stand-ins for some scenes |
| Bib Fortuna | Michael Carter, Erik Bauersfeld (voice) | Alan Ruscoe, Matthew Wood (voice) | |
| Mas Amedda | Jerome Blake | David Bowers, Stephen Stanton (voice) | |
| C-3PO | Anthony Daniels | Michael Lynch, Chris Bartlett | Lynch and Bartlett were stand-ins for some scenes |
| Beru Whitesun Lars | Shelagh Fraser | Bonnie Maree Piesse, Andrea Wagner-Barton | Wagner-Barton was a stand-in for some scenes |
| Owen Lars | Phil Brown | Joel Edgerton | |
| Mon Mothma | Caroline Blakiston | Genevieve O’Reilly, Kath Soucie (voice) | |
| Yoda | Frank Oz, Deep Roy | Tom Kane (voice), Piotr Michael (voice) | Roy was a body double for some scenes |
| The Clones | Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan (young clones) | Dee Bradley Baker (voice) | |
| Padmé Amidala | Natalie Portman | Catherine Taber (voice) | |
| Dooku | Sir Christopher Lee, Kyle Rowling | Corey Burton (voice) | |
| Mace Windu | Samuel L. Jackson | Terrence Carson (voice) | |
| Barriss Offee | Nalini Krishan | Meredith Salenger (voice) | |
| Notluwiski Papanoida | George Lucas | Corey Burton (voice) | |
| Chi Eekway Papanoida | Katie Lucas | Nika Futterman (voice) | |
| Maul | Ray Park, Peter Serafinowicz (voice) | Sam Witwer (voice) | |
| Chewbacca | Peter Mayhew | Joonas Suotamo | |
| Saw Gerrera | Andrew Kishino (voice) | Forest Whitaker | |
| Wilhuff Tarkin | Peter Cushing | Wayne Pygram, Stephen Stanton (voice), Guy Henry | Henry performed the role with CGI used to recreate Cushing’s face |
| Jan Dodonna | Alex McCrindle | Ian McElhinney, Michael Bell (voice) | |
| Leia Organa | Carrie Fisher | Julie Dolan (voice), Ingvild Deila, Billie Lourd, Vivien Lyra Blair (young Leia) | Deila and Lourd were stand-ins with CGI used to recreate Fisher’s face |
| Han Solo | Harrison Ford | Alden Ehrenreich | |
| Lando Calrissian | Billy Dee Williams | Donald Glover, Reggie Watts (voice) | Watts voiced Calrissian in disguise |
| The Grand Inquisitor | Jason Isaacs | Rupert Friend | |
| Luke Skywalker | Mark Hamill | Aidan Barton (infant Luke), Max Llyod Jones, Matt Rugetti, Graham Hamilton, Scott Lang, Grant Feely (young Luke) | Jones, Rugetti, Hamilton, and Lang were stand-ins in some scenes |
| Cad Bane | Corey Burton (voice) | Dorian Kingi | |
| Ahsoka Tano | Ashley Eckstein (voice) | Rosario Dawson, Ariana Greenblatt (young Ahsoka) | |
| Sabine Wren | Tiya Sircar (voice) | Natasha Liu Bordizzo | |
| Hera Syndulla | Vanessa Marshall (voice) | Mary Elizabeth Winstead | |
| Ezra Bridger | Taylor Gray (voice) | Eman Esfandi | |
| Bail Organa | Adrian Dunbar (deleted scenes), Jimmy Smits | Phil LaMarr (voice), Benjamin Bratt | |
Recast Characters Explained Through a Retcon |
|||
| Character | Original actor(s) | Recast Actor(s) | Notes |
| Wedge Antilles / Col Takbright | Colin Higgins (Col Takbright) | Dennis Lawson, David Ankrum (voice), Nathan Kress (voice) | Higgins was replaced as Antilles in the middle of filming |
| Adi Gallia / Stass Allie | Gin Clark | Lily Nyamwasa (Stass Allie), Angelique Perrin (voice, Adi Gallia) | |
| Eeth Koth / Agen Kolar | Hassani Shapi | Tux Akindoyeni (Agen Kolar), Chris Edgerly (voice, Eeth Koth) | |
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What Does Recast Mean?
In film and television, a recast occurs when a different actor is chosen to portray a character who was previously portrayed by someone else. This is often done for creative, practical, or logistical reasons, such as:
- The original actor is unavailable, unwilling, or no longer suited for the role, for example, due to their age or health.
- The character needs to be portrayed at a different age or in a different medium, like live-action vs. animation.
- The franchise is undergoing a reboot, prequel, or other creative shift that warrants a fresh interpretation of that character.
In the Star Wars franchise, recasting is a frequent necessity, especially given the saga’s vast timeline, multiple generations of characters, and cross-media storytelling.
How We Chose Characters for Our List
There are thousands of characters in Star Wars. And many, many of them have been recast for one reason or another. While our list is meant to be thorough, it is not necessarily definitive.
We picked characters who played a significant role in the overall saga. Sure, it’s fun seeing cameos of Dr. Evazan and Ponda Baba. But are they integral to the story? Not really. Listing every time a background alien was recast just isn’t feasible.
Also, many different people contribute to bringing these characters to life. There are at least three that help bring Din Djarin to the screen in The Mandalorian. But those aren’t recasts.
Our list focuses on actors who left a noticeable impact on the role or are contextually relevant to that role. For example, we highlight the body doubles that appear as Boba Fett in the 1997 Special Editions but omit Chewbacca’s stunt double from The Force Awakens.
With no offence to Ian Whyte intended, he performed as a stunt actor, intercut with scenes by Peter Mayhew and Joonas Suotamo. While not strictly a recasting, Mark Austin, Nelson Hall, and Don Bies all perform as Boba Fett in a dramatic, non-action capacity.
And perhaps this is a minor distinction, but they contributed to Fett’s story – and how we, the audience, relate to his character.
Finally, we are also only considering canon films and television shows. Why? Because this article is already 7900+ words long.
Adding actors from the radio dramas, audiobooks, and video games would make it even longer. We’re also a little lazy…
But we also think most of you just want to know the characters who have been recast without all the extra stuff. That’s also why there is a table of these recast Star Wars characters above. If you do want to know more about why each character was recast, keep reading.
Hopefully, this helps frame our list of Star Wars recasts. After much delay, let’s get on with our list.
The Detailed List of Star Wars Recast Characters
Here are all of the recasts in Star Wars in order of when the second actor assumed the role:
Emperor Palpatine
One of the best-known Star Wars recastings is Emperor Palpatine. First introduced in The Empire Strikes Back, the Emperor was voiced by New Zealand actor Clive Revill and portrayed on screen by Marjorie Eaton in a mask. Palpatine’s eyes were supplied by compositing the eyes of a chimpanzee into the final frame.
Elaine Baker is also credited as portraying the character in Empire, although it is unclear whether she appeared in any version of the film.
Another actor, Alan Webb, was cast as Palpatine in Return of the Jedi. However, Webb fell ill and ultimately passed away. Already behind schedule, Ian McDiarmid was recast as the Emperor. Later, McDiarmid would go on to play the younger Senator Palpatine in the Prequel Trilogy.
Also, George Lucas replaced Eaton and Revill’s performance in Empire with new footage of McDiarmid in 2004. The current version on Disney+, as well as all physical releases since 2004, include McDiarmid in the role.
Actor Ian Abercrombie voiced the character in the 2008 Star Wars: The Clone Wars film and the first five seasons of the series. Tim Curry was recast as the Emperor for a total of 10 episodes across Season Five and Season Six. Emperor Palpatine was recast again for Star Wars Rebels, with veteran Star Wars voice actor Sam Witwer performing the character in the Season Two premiere.
McDiarmid returned to reprise the role in the Season Four of Rebels, The Rise of Skywalker, the 2022 live-action series Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the 2022 animated anthology series Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi. While not a true recast, David Decio was the body double for McDiarmid in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
As many as eight different actors were involved in bringing Senator, and later Emperor, Palpatine to life: Marjorie Eaton (original actor, The Empire Strikes Back), Elaine Baker (possible original acter, The Empire Strikes Back), Clive Revill (voice actor, The Empire Strikes Back), Ian McDiarmid (recast actor, Return of the Jedi, the Prequel Trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and voice actor Star Wars Rebels and Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi), Ian Abercrombie (voice actor, Star Wars: The Clone Wars film and series), Tim Curry (recast voice actor, The Clone Wars series), Sam Witwer (recast voice actor, Star Wars Rebels), and David Decio (body double, Obi-Wan Kenobi).
Boba Fett
Infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett is arguably the most recast Star Wars character ever.
Fett was conceptualized by Ralph McQuarrie and designed by Joe Johnson. Alan Harris, Bruce Nicholson, and Duwayne Dunham all performed photo, costume, and screen tests for the character.
Jeremy Bulloch originated the role in The Empire Strikes Back, with John Morton portraying the role in one scene and Jason Wingreen providing the voice for the character. Actor Peter Roy was initially considered for the role, going so far as to fit him for the costume.
Bulloch would reprise the role in Return of the Jedi. The only line the character delivers in Jedi is a scream as he falls into the sarlacc. Stuntmen Dickey Beer, Louis Friedman, Glenn Randall Jr., and Bob Yerkes all contributed to scenes at the Great Pit of Carkoon in Jedi.
The role was recast several times during the Star Wars Special Editions in 1997. Mark Austin played Fett in the new scene in A New Hope, where Jabba the Hutt confronts Han Solo outside the Millennium Falcon in docking bay 94.
Both Nelson Hall and Don Bies portrayed the character in new scenes inside Jabba’s palace for the special edition of Return of the Jedi. Hall walks behind Jabba during the song, while Bies flirts with the backup singers after the performance.
The role was recast for Attack of the Clones, with Daniel Logan playing a young Fett. Logan would later voice Boba Fett and the clone cadets in six episodes of The Clone Wars between 2010 and 2012.
The Prequels explained that Boba was an unaltered clone of Jango Fett, played by Temuera Morrison. Morrison would go on to overdub Boba’s lines in Empire for the 2004 DVD release. His dialogue appears in all subsequent physical and streaming releases.
Temuera Morrison returned to portray Boba Fett in Season Two of The Mandalorian in 2020 and the 2021 Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett, both part of the Mandoverse.
Since it had been 20 years since Daniel Logan played a young Boba, the role was recast with Finnegan Garay portraying the younger version of the character in flashbacks during The Book of Boba Fett. Most of the scenes with Garay as shot over his shoulder, obscuring his face.
Not technically recasts, but Kirk Jenkins, Scott Lang, Eddie Perez, J.J. Dashnaw, Eyad Elbitar, and Trever Morgan all portrayed Fett as stunt actors and body doubles in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.
Mark Dubeau, Duwayne Dunham, Joe Gibson, Richard Kraft, and David West Reynolds wore the Boba Fett armor for promotional appearances and materials.
Canonically, fourteen actors have performed Boba Fett in some capacity: Jeremy Bulloch (original actor, The Empire Strikes Back), John Morton (additional actor, The Empire Strikes Back), Jason Wingreen (voice actor, The Empire Strikes Back), Mark Austin (1997 special edition actor, A New Hope), Nelson Hall (1997 special edition actor, Return of the Jedi), Don Bies (1997 special edition actor, Return of the Jedi), Daniel Logan (young Boba actor, Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars), Temuera Morrison (recast voice actor The Empire Strikes Back, recast actor The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett), Kirk Jenkins (stunt actor, The Mandalorian), Eddie Perez (stunt actor, The Mandalorian), Finnegan Garay (recast young Boba actor, The Book of Boba Fett), J. J. Dashnaw (stunt actor, The Mandalorian), Eyad Elbitar (stunt actor, The Mandalorian), and Trevor Morgan (stunt actor, The Mandalorian).
Jabba the Hutt
The story of gangster and crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure is one of the most interesting tales of Star Wars recasting. George Lucas originally intended for Jabba the Hutt to appear in A New Hope.
Character actor Declan Mulholland was initially cast in the role, filming scenes with Harrison Ford on set. Lucas intended to replace Mulholland with some type of alien creature, but was unable to finish the scene for the theatrical release.
A practical Jabba the Hutt appeared on set in Return of the Jedi, puppeted by Toby Philpott, David Barclay, and Mike Edmonds. Larry Ward voiced Jabba in the film, which sound engineer Ben Burtt heavily processed to create Huttese, Jabba’s native language.
For the 1997 Special Editions, Lucas revisited the scene from A New Hope. ILM recreated Jabba with CGI and inserted the character into the original footage with Ford. While unclear, it seems likely that Burtt reused Ward’s audio recordings to create Jabba’s voice for this recreated scene.
Jabba again appeared as CGI in Episode I, likely with Burtt snythizing his dialogue from archival recordings.
For 2008’s The Clone Wars, veteran voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson was recast as Jabba. Richardson appeared in the theatrical film and four episodes of the television series.
Excluding sound designer Ben Burtt, six actors have been cast to bring Jabba Desilijic Tiure to life: Declan Mulholland (original actor, deleted scene in A New Hope), Toby Philpott (puppeteer, Return of the Jedi), David Barclay (puppeteer, Return of the Jedi), Mike Edmonds (puppeteer, Return of the Jedi), Larry Ward (voice actor, Return of the Jedi), and Kevin Michael Richardson (recast voice actor, The Clone Wars).
Obi-Wan Kenobi
First appearing in A New Hope, Sir Alec Guinness portrays Obi-Wan Kenobi throughout the Original Trilogy. Guinness retired from acting in 1996 and passed away in 2000.
Perhaps one of the best examples of Star Wars recasting, Ewan McGregor played Kenobi in the Prequel Trilogy. He later returned to the character in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series.
James Arnold Taylor was recast as Kenobi for Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels, with Stephen Stanton providing the voice for the Rebels Season Three episode “Twin Suns.”
Dialogue from both Guinness and McGregor is used in 2015’s The Force Awakens and the final Sequel Trilogy film, The Rise of Skywalker. Taylor originally provided voice work for The Force Awakens, but it was replaced by McGregor before the film was released.
Obi-Wan Kenobi is played by four actors: Sir Alec Guinness (original actor, the Original Trilogy), Ewan McGregor (recast actor, the Prequel Trilogy), James Arnold Taylor (voice actor, The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels), and Stephen Stanton (recast voice actor, Star Wars Rebels).
Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader
Darth Vader originally appeared in A New Hope, with David Prowse performing in the suit and an uncredited James Earl Jones providing the voice. Together, they performed Vader throughout the Original Trilogy.
After retiring in 2017, David Prowse passed away in 2020.
Sebastian Shaw played the unmasked Vader in Return of the Jedi. Shaw passed away in 1996, having retired in 1991.
Vader was then recast for the Prequel films. Jake Lloyd played a young Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. Subsequently, Hayden Christensen played the role in the remaining two films, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith.
James Earl Jones reprised his voice role in Revenge of the Sith.
In 2004, George Lucas replaced Shaw’s original performance in the Force ghost scene at the end of Return of the Jedi with new shots of Christensen. Christensen later reprised the roles of Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader in The Rise of Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka.
Matt Lanter was recast as Anakin Skywalker for The Clone Wars, performing the role in the film and 92 episodes of the series. Lanter returned to voice Anakin in two episodes of Rebels, as well as in Forces of Destiny and Tales of the Jedi.
Jones also returned to voice Vader for Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and The Rise of Skywalker. In 2022, James Earl Jones licensed his voice to Lucasfilm so he could continue to voice Darth Vader through the Respeecher app. This process was used for 2022’s Obi-Wan Kenobi. Jones passed on in 2024.
Actor Spencer Wilding played Darth Vader in Rogue One. Dmitrious Bistrevsky and Tom O’Connell appeared as stunt actors for Vader in Obi-Wan Kenobi.
To date, Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader have been portrayed by nine actors: David Prowse (original actor, Original Trilogy), James Earl Jones (voice actor, the Original Trilogy, Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, The Rise of Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi), Sebastian Shaw (recast actor, Return of the Jedi), Jake Lloyd (recast actor, The Phantom Menace), Hayden Christensen (recast actor, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ahsoka), Matt Lanter (voice actor, The Clone Wars, Rebels, Forces of Destiny, and Tales of the Jedi), Spencer Wilding (recast actor, Rogue One), Dmitrious Bistrevsky (stunt actor, Obi-Wan Kenobi), and Tom O’Connell (stunt actor, Obi-Wan Kenobi).
Bib Fortuna
Jabba’s majordomo, Bib Fortuna, first appeared in Return of the Jedi, with Michael Carter in the role and Erik Bauersfeld providing the voice.
Alan Ruscoe was recast as Fortuna for The Phantom Menace, with sound editor Matthew Wood voicing the character.
Wood was later recast as both the body and the voice of Fortuna in a post-credits scene for The Mandalorian Season Two finale, “Chapter 16: The Rescue.” Stunts for the episode were performed by Jesse La Flair. Archival footage of Wood as Fortuna also appears in “Chapter 4: The Gathering Storm” of The Book of Boba Fett.
Wood reprised the role for The Bad Batch, voicing the character in the fifth episode of Season One, “Rampage.”
In total, five actors have contributed to Bib Fortuna: Michael Carter (original actor, Return of the Jedi), Erik Bauersfeld (voice actor, Return of the Jedi), Alan Ruscoe (recast actor, The Phantom Menace), Matthew Wood (recast voice actor, The Phantom Menace and The Bad Batch; recast actor, The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett), and Jesse La Flair (stunt actor, The Mandalorian).
Mas Amedda
Vice Chair of the Republic Senate under chancellors Valorum and Palpatine, Mas Amedda was first played by Jerome Blake in 1999’s The Phantom Menace. David Bowers replaced Blake for Attack of the Clones, with both actors portraying the role in Revenge of the Sith. Voicematch artist Stephen Stanton voiced Amedda in The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch series.
Mas Amedda has been played by three actors to date: Jerome Blake (original actor, The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith), David Bowers (recast actor, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith), and Stephen Stanton (voice actor, The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch).
C-3PO
Anthony Daniels has been almost exclusively the voice and body of C-3PO since A New Hope in 1977. However, there are a few notable instances when Daniels did not perform the role.
Michael Lynch operated the puppet of the unfinished 3PO in The Phantom Menace, with Daniels providing the dialogue on set. Creature artist Chris Bartlett was recast as the body double for C-3PO’s cameo in Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Daniels reprising the voice in the final episode.
Daniels returned to performing both the body and voice for 2024’s Ahsoka.
C-3PO has been performed by three actors to date: Anthony Daniels (original actor, most appearances from A New Hope to Ahsoka), Michael Lynch (body double, The Phantom Menace), and Chris Bartlett (body double, Obi-Wan Kenobi).
Beru Whitesun Lars
Shelagh Fraser originated the role of Beru Lars, aka Aunt Beru, in A New Hope. Fraser recorded additional dialogue and overdubs with sound mixer Derek Ball during post-production. Archival audio from this recording session was later used in the 2017 Star Wars Rebels, Season Three episode “Twin Suns.”
Bonnie Maree Piesse was recast as Beru for 2002’s Attack of the Clones. Set 22 years earlier, Piesse plays a younger version of the character. Owen Lars’ girlfriend at the time, she goes by her unmarried name, Beru Whitesun. Piesse returned to the role for 2005’s Revenge of the Sith.
Although not necessarily a recast, Andrea Wagner-Barton served as a stand-in for close-ups of Beru holding Luke. Wagner-Barton was the then-wife of ROTS editor Roger Barton. Also, their son Aidan Barton portrayed infant Leia and Luke in the film.
Piesse reprised her role as Aunt Beru in Obi-Wan Kenobi alongside Prequel Trilogy alumni Joel Edgerton.
Three actors have played Beru Whitesun Lars: Shelagh Fraser (original actor, A New Hope), Bonnie Maree Piesse (recast actor, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and the Obi-Wan Kenobi series), and Andrea Wagner-Barton (body double, Revenge of the Sith).
Owen Lars
Phil Brown originated the role of Luke’s uncle, Owen Lars. Joel Edgerton was recast as a young Owen Lars for Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Edgerton reprised the role in the Obi-Wan Kenobi series for Disney+, along with Prequel actor Bonnie Maree Piesse.
Only two actors have played Owen Lars in Star Wars canon: Phil Brown (original actor, A New Hope) and Joel Edgerton (recast actor, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and the Obi-Wan Kenobi series).
Mon Mothma
First appearing in Return of the Jedi, Caroline Blakiston originally played Mon Mothma, leader of the Rebel Alliance.
Genevieve O’Reilly was recast as a younger version of Mothma in Revenge of the Sith. O’Reilly reportedly studied Blackiston’s performance to dial in her portrayal of the character. Unfortunately, the majority of her scenes were cut from the final theatrical release.
Blakiston had reportedly hoped to play Mon’s grandmother in the Prequels, although this never came to fruition.
Mon Mothma was recast again, with Kath Soucie voicing the character in three episodes of The Clone Wars.
O’Reilly later reprised her role in Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One, and the Disney+ series Andor and Ahsoka.
Three actors have played Mon Motha so far: Caroline Blakiston (original actor, Return of the Jedi), Genevieve O’Reilly (recast actor, Revenge of the Sith, Star Wars Rebels, Rogue One, Andor, and Ahsoka), and Kath Soucie (voice actor, The Clone Wars).
Yoda
Everyone’s favorite 900 year old Jedi Master, Yoda, was first voiced and performed by Muppet legend Frank Oz for The Empire Strikes Back. Actor Deep Roy also performed some scenes as a body double for Yoda in Empire.
Oz would go on to reprise his role for Return of the Jedi and in the Prequel Trilogy, performing the puppet in both Jedi and The Phantom Menace. A CGI character was created for Episodes II and III. The puppet Yoda was replaced by a CGI character for the 2011 physical media release of Episode I.
Tom Kane was recast as the voice of Yoda for the 2008 The Clone Wars film and television series.
Frank Oz returned to voice the character in the Star Wars Rebels Season One episode “Path of the Jedi.” Oz continued to voice the character for the Sequel Trilogy, even puppeteering Yoda for 2017’s The Last Jedi.
Most recently, Piotr Michael was recast as Yoda for the 2023 animated series Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures.
Canonically, there are a total of four actors that have continued to Yoda’s performance in Star Wars: Frank Oz (original actor, The Empire Strikes, Return of the Jedi, the Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Rebels, the Sequel Trilogy), Deep Roy (body double, The Empire Strikes Back), Tom Kane (voice actor, The Clone Wars), and Piotr Michael (recast voice actor, Young Jedi Adventures).
The Clones
In addition to playing Jango Fett, Temuera Morrison also played the clones in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Morrison appeared as clones in fatigues on Camino, with CGI used to create the clone troopers in their armor.
Daniel Logan portrayed young clones in Episode II and, later, voiced the clone cadets in The Clone Wars.
Dee Bradley Baker was recast as the clones for The Clone Wars, voicing the notable clones Captain Rex, Commander Cody, Fives, and Jesse. Baker continued voicing the clones in Rebels, The Bad Batch, and Star Wars: Tales of the Empire.
In total, three actors have been cast in the role of the clones: Temuera Morrison (original actor, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith), Daniel Logan (young clones actor, Attack of the Clones and The Clone Wars) and Dee Bradley Baker (voice actor, The Clone Wars, Rebels, The Bad Batch, and Tales of the Empire).
Padmé Amidala
Padmé Amidala first appeared in The Phantom Menace, portrayed by Natalie Portman. Portman continued the role, appearing in the rest of the Prequel Trilogy. Amidala was then recast for The Clone Wars, with Catherine Taber voicing the character. Taber also voiced Padmé in the 2017 micro-series Star Wars Forces of Destiny.
Only two actors have played Padmé Amidala: Natalie Portman (original actor, the Prequel Trilogy) and Catherine Taber (voice actor, The Clone Wars and Forces of Destiny).
Dooku
Also known as Sith Lord Darth Tyranus, Dooku was played by Sir Christopher Lee in 2002’s Attack of the Clones and 2005’s Revenge of the Sith. Stunt actor Kyle Rowling replaced Lee for the lightsaber duels in both films.
Lee returned to the character for The Clone Wars in 2008. While he remained active until his death in 2015, this was Lee’s last performance as Dooku.
Corey Burton was recast as Dooku for the television show of the same name that followed. Burton reprised the role in Tales of the Jedi.
Sith Lord and Count of Serenno by birthright, Dooku was portrayed by three actors so far: Sir Christopher Lee (original actor, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, and The Clone Wars), Kyle Rowling (stunt actor, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith), and Corey Burton (voice actor, The Clone Wars and Tales of the Jedi).
Mace Windu
Samuel L. Jackson famously originated the role of Jedi Master Mace Windu for the Prequel Trilogy. While Jackson returned for The Clone Wars film, the role was ultimately recast for the TV series that followed, with Terrence Carson providing the voice.
Jackson has also maintained that Windu survived his encounter with Emperor Palpatine in Episode III and is interested in reprising the role in future Star Wars properties.
Mace Windu is only played by two actors: Samuel L. Jackson (original actor, the Prequel Trilogy and The Clone Wars film) and Terrence Carson (voice actor, The Clone Wars series).
Barriss Offee
Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee first appears in Attack of the Clones, portrayed by Nalini Krishan. Offee was then recast for The Clone Wars, with Meredith Salenger voicing the character in six episodes. Salender later reprised the role in three episodes of Tales of the Empire.
Only two actors have portrayed Barriss Offee: Nalini Krishan (original actor, Attack of the Clones) and Meredith Salenger (voice actor, The Clone Wars and Tales of the Empire).
Notluwiski Papanoida
Introduced as a background character in Revenge of the Sith, Baron Notluwiski Papanoida was portrayed by George Lucas himself in a non-speaking role.
Papanoida then returned for Season Three of The Clone Wars, this time with Corey Burton voicing the role.
Two actors have performed Baron Papanoida: George Lucas (original actor, Revenge of the Sith) and Corey Burton (voice actor, The Clone Wars).
Chi Eekway Papanoida
Another background character in Revenge of the Sith, Chi Eekway Papanoida was the daughter of Baron Papanoida. With art imitating life, the character was portrayed by George Lucas’ daughter Katie.
The character later reappeared in The Clone Wars, with Nika Futterman recast in the role.
A total of two different actors portrayed Chi Eekway Papanoida: Katie Lucas (original actor, Revenge of the Sith) and Nika Futterman (voice actor, The Clone Wars).
Maul
Portrayed by martial artist Ray Park, Maul first appeared as Palpatine’s apprentice in The Phantom Menace. Actor Peter Serafinowicz provided the voice for the character, who only speaks three lines in the entire film.
In arguably the best Star Wars recasting to date, Sam Witwer voiced Maul for his return in Season Four of The Clone Wars. Witwer continued voicing Maul in Season Five and, years later, Season Seven. He would also voice the role in four episodes of Star Wars Rebels.
Ray Park reprised the role of Maul in a cameo at the end of 2018’s Solo, with Witwer continuing to provide the voice. Park also returned to motion capture for Maul’s lightsaber battle in The Clone Wars Season Seven in 2020.
Archival footage of Park from Episode I appears in Obi-Wan Kenobi as well.
Three total actors have been cast in the role of Maul: Ray Park (original actor, The Phantom Menace and Solo; motion capture actor The Clone Wars), Peter Serafinowicz (voice actor, The Phantom Menace), and Sam Witwer (recast voice actor, The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Solo).
Chewbacca
Standing an impressive 7 feet, 3 inches tall, Peter Mayhew originated the role of Chewbacca for A New Hope. He continued portraying the lovable Chewie for the two subsequent Original Trilogy films and, later, in Revenge of the Sith.
Due to Mayhew’s health and age, Joonas Suotamo was partially recast as Chewbacca for 2015’s The Force Awakens. Mayhew performed most of the low-action scenes, with Suotamo performing the more action-packed sequences.
Mayhew remained as the “Chewbacca Consultant” for The Last Jedi, with Suotamo assuming the role on set. Suotamo also performed the role in 2018’s Solo: A Star Wars Story and 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.
Only two actors have portrayed Chewbacca: Peter Mayhew (original actor, the Original Trilogy, Revenge of the Sith, and The Force Awakens) and Joonas Suotamo (recast actor, the Sequel Trilogy, Solo).
Saw Gerrera
Resistance fighter Saw Gerrera first appeared in Season Five of The Clone Wars, voiced by Andrew Kishino.
In another near-perfect Star Wars recasting, Forest Whitaker assumed the live-action role for Rogue One. Whitaker would also provide the voice for Saw in four episodes of Rebels. He also reprised his role in the 2022 live-action series Andor.
Kishino returned to voice the character in two episodes of The Bad Batch.
Two actors have played Saw Gerrera in Star Wars: Andrew Kishino (original actor, The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch) and Forest Whitaker (recast actor, Rogue One, Rebels, and Andor).
Wilhuff Tarkin
Peter Cushing originated the role of Wilhuff Tarkin in A New Hope, Grand Moff and commander of the Death Star. Cushing passed away at 81 years old in 1994.
Australian actor Wayne Pygram was recast as Tarkin in a non-speaking role for Revenge of the Sith. Voice actor Stephen Stanton portrayed Tarkin in seven episodes of The Clone Wars and seven episodes of Rebels.
For Rogue One, Tarkin was recreated using CGI. Guy Henry, who shares both a physical and vocal likeness to Cushing, served as the body double. The Cushing estate agreed to allow Lucasfilm to recreate the actor with CGI. They were reportedly heavily involved with the process, recommending slight adjustments to make the performance more accurate.
Stanton later reprised the role in eight episodes of The Bad Batch. Although mentioned, the character does not appear in the live-action Andor series. This could be because of the CGI required to reproduce the character or simply a decision to focus on other characters.
A total of four actors played Tarkin so far: Peter Cushing (original actor, A New Hope), Wayne Pygram (recast actor, Revenge of the Sith), Stephen Stanton (voice actor, The Clone Wars, Rebels, and The Bad Batch), and Guy Henry (body double, Rogue One).
Jan Dodonna
Alex McCrindle originally played General Jan Dodonna, leader of the Rebel group on Yavin IV, in A New Hope. McCrindle passed away at age 78 in 1990.
Dodonna was recast again for 2016’s Rogue One, with Ian McElhinney portraying the role. In 2017, Michael Bell was recast as Dodonna in four episodes of Star Wars Rebels.
Three actors have played Rebel Leader Jan Dodonna in Star Wars: Alex McCrindle (original actor, A New Hope), Ian McElhinney (recast actor, Rogue One), and Michael Bell (voice actor, Rebels).
Leia Organa
Carrie Fisher originated the role of Princess Leia Organa in the Original Trilogy, appearing in all three films.
Aidan Barton, son of editor Roger Barton, played an infant Leia in Revenge of the Sith.
Fisher returned to the role for 2015’s The Force Awakens.
Julie Dolan was recast as Leia in a 2016 episode of Star Wars Rebels. In the same year, Leia also appeared in Rogue One. Fisher’s Organa was recreated in CGI with Ingvild Deila serving as the body double.
Fisher died unexpectedly in 2016, months before The Last Jedi was released. J.J. Abrams used unused footage of Carrie Fisher from The Force Awakens to create her performance in The Rise of Skywalker.
Billie Lourd, Fisher’s daughter, portrayed the body double for a scene of Leia training as a Jedi with Luke. Once again, Lucasfilm used CGI to put Fisher’s face on Lourd’s body.
Leia Organa was recast for Obi-Wan Kenobi, with 10-year-old Vivien Lyra Blair portraying the role.
Four actors have contributed to bringing Leia Organa to life: Carrie Fisher (original actor, the Original Trilogy and the Sequel Trilogy), Julie Dolan (voice actor, Rebels), Ingvild Deila (body double, Rogue One), Billie Lourd (body double, The Rise of Skywalker), and Vivien Lyra Blair (young Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi).
Han Solo
Harrison Ford originated the role of Han Solo in A New Hope, appearing in the other Original Trilogy films. Ford reprised the role for 2015’s The Force Awakens.
Alden Ehrenreich was recast as the character for the origin story, Solo: A Star Wars Story, in 2018. Harrison Ford returned for an uncredited cameo in The Rise of Skywalker in 2019.
Only two actors have played Han Solo: Harrison Ford (original actor, the Original Trilogy, The Force Awakens, The Rise of Skywalker) and Alden Ehrenreich (recast actor, Solo).
Lando Calrissian
Billy Dee Williams was cast as the suave smuggler and gambler turned entrepreneur Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back. Williams reprised the role in Return of the Jedi. He also provided the voice for Lando in three episodes of Rebels.
In another fantastic Star Wars recasting, Donald Glover appeared as a younger version of Lando in Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Williams then returned to the character for the final Sequel Trilogy film, The Rise of Skywalker, with Reggie Watts voicing Lando in disguise.
Three total actors have contributed to Lando Calrissian: Billy Dee Williams (original actor, The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Rebels, and The Rise of Skywalker), Donald Glover (recast actor, Solo), and Reggie Watts (recast voice actor, The Rise of Skywalker).
The Grand Inquisitor
Jason Isaacs first performed The Grand Inquisitor in Season One of Rebels, voicing the character in eleven episodes. Rupert Friend was recast as The Grand Inquisitor in four episodes of the live-action series Obi-Wan Kenobi. Isaacs reprised the role for one episode of Tales of the Empire.
Only two actors have played The Grand Inquisitor: Jason Isaacs (original actor, Rebels and Tales of the Empire) and Rupert Friend (recast actor, Obi-Wan Kenobi).
Luke Skywalker
Mark Hamill performed Luke Skywalker in the Original Trilogy, with Aidan Barton playing infant Luke in Revenge of the Sith.
Hamill returned for the Sequel Trilogy, appearing briefly in 2015’s The Force Awakens and in one major scene in 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker. The bulk of Hamill’s screentime comes in 2017’s The Last Jedi.
A young Luke appears as little more than a silhouette in a 2017 episode of Rebels, but no actor portrays the character in the series.
Luke appears in the Season Two finale, “Chapter 16: The Rescue”, of The Mandalorian in 2020. A post-ROTJ Luke was created with both Max Lloyd Jones and Mark Hamill on set performing the character. Hamill’s face was de-aged with CGI and overlaid in the composite performance. Matt Rugetti performed the stunts for Luke in the episode.
The same approach was used for the episode “Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger” of The Book of Boba Fett in 2022. In addition to Hamill, Graham Hamilton stood in for the younger Luke, with Scott Lang performing stunts.
The voice application Respeecher was used to create the dialogue for both series based on archival recordings of Mark Hamill from the Original Trilogy.
Luke Skywalker was recast for Obi-Wan Kenobi, with Grant Feely portraying Luke at age 9 in 10 BBY.
To date, seven actors have contributed to Luke Skywalker’s performance: Mark Hamill (original actor, the Original Trilogy, the Sequel Trilogy, The Mandalorian, and The Book of Boba Fett), Aidan Barton (infant Luke actor, Revenge of the Sith), Max Llyod Jones (body double, The Mandalorian), Matt Rugetti (stunt performer, The Mandalorian), Graham Hamilton (body double, The Book of Boba Fett), Scott Lang (stunt actor, The Book of Boba Fett), and Grant Feely (young Luke, Obi-Wan Kenobi).
Cad Bane
Bounty hunter Cad Bane was created for The Clone Wars, with voice actor Corey Burton performing the character in ten episodes.
Actor Dorian Kingi was recast as Bane for his live-action appearance in The Book of Boba Fett, with Burton reprising his role as the voice of the character. Both actors appeared in two episodes of the series, “Chapter 6: From the Desert Comes a Stranger” and “Chapter 7: In the Name of Honor.”
Burton also voiced the character in three episodes of The Bad Batch.
Two actors have portrayed Cad Bane: Corey Burton (original actor, The Clone Wars, The Book of Boba Fett, and The Bad Batch) and Dorian Kingi (recast actor, The Book of Boba Fett).
Ahsoka Tano
Ashley Eckstein originated the role of Ahsoka Tano for The Clone Wars, appearing in over half of the episodes. Eckstein reprised the role of Tano in 14 episodes of Star Wars Rebels.
Rosario Dawson was recast as Ahsoka Tano in the 2023 live-action series Ahsoka. Ariana Greenblatt also appears in one episode of Ahsoka as young Ahsoka during the Clone Wars.
So far, three actors have portrayed Ahsoka Tano: Ashley Eckstein (original actor, The Clone Wars and Rebels), Rosario Dawson (recast actor, Ahsoka), and Ariana Greenblatt (young Ahsoka actor, Ahsoka).
Sabine Wren
Actor Tiya Sircar voiced Sabine Wren on Star Wars Rebels. From 2014 to 2018, Sircar appeared in 66 of the 77 total episodes of the series. She also reprised the role of Wren for the micro-series Star Wars Forces of Destiny.
Sabine Wren was recast for the live-action series Ahsoka in 2023, with Natasha Liu Bordizzo taking the role. Bordizzo appeared in seven of the eight episodes.
Only two actors have portrayed Sabine Wren: Tiya Sircar (original actor, Rebels and Forces of Destiny) and Natasha Liu Bordizzo (recast actor, Ahsoka).
Hera Syndulla
Vanessa Marshall provided the voice for Hera Syndulla, pilot of the Ghost, for the Star Wars Rebels series, appearing in all but eight episodes. Marshall reprised her role in two episodes of The Bad Batch in 2021. Mary Elizabeth Winstead was recast as Hera for the 2023 live-action series Ahsoka.
So far, two actors have played Hera Syndulla: Vanessa Marshall (original actor: Rebels and The Bad Batch) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (recast actor, Ahsoka).
Ezra Bridger
Actor Taylor Gray originated the role of Ezra Bridger for Star Wars Rebels, appearing in all but 3 episodes of the series. Bridger was recast for 2023’s live-action Ahsoka, with Eman Esfandi in the role. Esfandi made his first appearance in a hologram in the debut episode of the series. He later appeared in the final three episodes of Season One.
Two actors have performed Ezra Bridger in Star Wars to date: Taylor Gray (original actor, Rebels) and Eman Esfandi (recast actor, Ahsoka).
Bail Organa
Bail Organa is one of the most surprising names on the list of recast Star Wars characters, but probably not for the reason you think. While most associate the role with actor Jimmy Smits, Adrian Dunbar actually originated the character in 1999’s The Phantom Menace.
Well, sort of.
Dunbar filmed scenes as Organa seconding the motion for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum for Episode I. However, the scenes were cut from the film, and references to Organa were changed to Bail Antilles.
Smits then appeared as Bail Organa in both Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith. Later, Phil LaMarr voiced Organa in seven episodes of The Clone Wars and six episodes of Rebels.
Smits returned to appear in Rogue One and three episodes of Obi-Wan Kenobi, with LaMarr voicing Organa in Tales of the Jedi and The Bad Batch.
Benjamin Bratt was recast as Bail Organa in Andor Season Two. Original actor Jimmy Smits was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts. Tony Gilroy opted to recast the role instead of using CGI.
Including the Episode I recast, four actors have played Bail Organa in Star Wars to date: Adrian Dunbar (original actor, deleted scenes in The Phantom Menace), Jimmy Smits (recast actor, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, Rogue One, and Obi-Wan Kenobi), Phil LaMarr (voice actor, The Clone Wars, Rebels, Tales of the Jedi, and The Bad Batch), and Benjamin Bratt (recast actor, Andor).
Star Wars Recasts Fixed By Retcons
In some cases, Star Wars characters were recast during filming only to have their characters retconned into separate characters. While perhaps not Star Wars recasts, here are characters that are technically different despite originally being intended as the same.
Wedge Antilles / Col Takbright
So much of Star Wars is true—from a certain point of view. Depending on your perspective, Imperial defector turned ace Rebel pilot Wedge Antilles is the very first example of a Star Wars recast.
See, Colin Higgins was originally cast as Wedge Antilles in 1977’s Star Wars. Higgins portrays Wedge during the mission briefing before the assault on the Death Star. Wedge says that the mission is “impossible,” with Luke replying that he used to “bull’s-eye womp rats” on Tatooine.
However, Higgins had trouble remembering his lines on set. So, they recast him with Denis Lawson for the battle sequences. For continuity, or perhaps to give the character an American accent, David Ankrum dubbed both Higgins’ and Lawson’s footage. While not technically a recasting, Ankrum’s voice work connects their different portrayals.
Lawson returned to the role in The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983), affecting an American accent. However, he was unable to return to the role in 2015’s The Force Awakens due to scheduling conflicts. Lawson appeared in the BBC One series New Tricks from 2012 to 2015.
Nathan Kress was recast as the voice of Wedge in five episodes of Star Wars Rebels for the final two seasons in 2016 and 2017.
David Ankrum provided new dialogue for 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, announcing, “We have been redirected to Scarif. Pilots, you’ll be briefed by your squadron leaders en route. May the Force be with you.”
In 2019, Lawson reprised the role in The Rise of Skywalker, the conclusion to the Sequel Trilogy.
In total, four different actors contributed to performing Wedge Antilles: Colin Higgins (original actor, A New Hope), Dennis Lawson (replacement actor, Original Trilogy and The Rise of Skywalker), David Ankrum (voice actor, A New Hope and Rogue One), and Nathan Kress (voice actor, Star Wars Rebels).
Adi Gallia / Stass Allie
Originally intended as a Star Wars recast, the story of Jedi Adi Gallia and Stass Allie ultimately resulted in a retcon into two separate characters. Gin Clarke was cast as Adi Gallia in The Phantom Menace.
When Clarke was unavailable for Attack of the Clones, Lily Nyamwasa was initially recast as Gallia. However, Nyamwasa’s portrayal was noticeably different than Clarke’s.
Instead of recasting the role again, George Lucas cast Nyamwasa in the new role of Stass Allie, Gallia’s cousin. Despite this, footage of Clarke as Gallia from The Phantom Menace was recycled for Nyamwasa’s Allie character in Attack of the Clones, creating a continuity error.
Nyamwasa returned as Allie for Revenge of the Sith.
Angelique Perrin was recast as Adi Gallia for The Clone Wars, with the character appearing in a supporting role in 7 episodes between 2010 and 2012.
Adi Gallia is performed by Gin Clark (original actor, The Phantom Menace) and Angelique Perrin (voice actor, The Clone Wars). Stass Allie is performed by Lily Nyamwasa (original actor, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith).
Eeth Koth / Agen Kolar
Eeth Koth is another character recast that turned into a retcon. Actor Hassani Shapi was cast as Jedi Council member Eeth Koth in The Phantom Menace, which was filmed in Britain. When Lucas moved production of Attack of the Clones to Australia, the Tux Akindoyeni was recast in the role.
Akindoyeni looked different enough from Shapi’s Koth that the character was eventually retconned as Agen Kolar. Akindoyeni reprised the role of Kolar in Revenge of the Sith.
Koth was later recast for The Clone Wars, with Chris Edgerly providing the voice.
Eeth Koth is portrayed by two actors: Hassani Shapi (original actor, The Phantom Menace) and Chris Edgerly (voice actor, The Clone Wars). Agen Kolar is only portrayed by Tux Akindoyeni (original actor, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith).
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