Grand Admiral Thrawn Live-Action Actor Revealed?
We might finally have a clue about who is playing the live-action version of Grand Admiral Thrawn in the Star Wars Universe.
This article is more than 2 years old
Disney is consistently making plans to expand Star Wars on its streaming platform, Disney Plus. LRMonline reported a series with Ahsoka, Boba Fett, Ezra Bridger, and Thrawn. Now, the outlet is reporting that casting has been made for the two latter characters.
While we caution readers with this news, according to the scoop, Mena Massoud will play Ezra Bridger. The actor made his name off the playing Aladdin in the live-action remake and also had a role in the John Krasinski series Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. For Thrawn, the outlet claims that Lars Mikkelsen will be the iconic villain. Mikkelsen has played the character in Star Wars: Rebels, so this could make sense for a live-action series. He has also appeared in Netflix’s fantasy series The Witcher with Henry Cavill (Man of Steel) and the service’s political drama House of Card with Kevin Spacey (Seven), Robin Wright (Wonder Woman 1984), and Michael Kelly (Jack Ryan).
The seed was planted for Thrawn to make a live-action appearance because of The Mandalorian. In a climactic battle in the episode The Jedi, she holds her lightsaber to Diana Lee Inosanto’s (The Sensei) Imperial Navy engineer Morgan Elsbeth and asked where her master Grand Admiral Thrawn was at the moment.
Outside of Mikkelsen being in Star Wars: Rebels as Thrawn it helps the case of this possible casting that LRMonline also mentions the standalone series The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka, which are slated for 2021 and 2022, respectively. Temuera Morrison (Attack of the Clones) will return as Boba Fett as he appeared as the bounty hunter in The Mandalorian and will be joined by Ming-Na Wen (Mulan). Ahsoka will see Rosario Dawson return as her character, who was introduced to a live-action setting with The Mandalorian.
For some background on the character, Thrawn rose through the ranks of the Imperial Navy and eventually became the go-to guy for all things strategy for the Empire. Before Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars, he gained command after the death of Darth Vader and Emporer Palpatine.
Another piece of evidence comes from not the Thrawn actor but Massoud. He posted a shirtless black and white picture of himself on Instagram. The interesting part was the caption, which was a quote from something Ezra Bridger said in Star Wars: Rebels episode Stealth Strike (Season 2, Episode 9).
Grand Admiral Thrawn was created in 1991’s Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. Since then, he has made appearances in novels and comic books. His popularity grew with his run in Star Wars: Rebels as the main antagonist in seasons three and four, making him a part of the current canon since Disney took over.
Until further confirmation, the rumored actors for Thrawn and Bridger are quite busy. Mikkelsen will act in the romantic movie Venuseffekten by director Anna Emma Haudal (Doggystyle), the fan-made Star Wars movie Shrouded Destiny, and crime-drama The Knife Thrower. Massoud has lined up The Royal Treatment by director Rick Jacobson (Ash vs Evil Dead) and In Broad Daylight as Morcos Adel’s directorial debut.
