We now know who will take over for the late Ray Stevenson on Ahsoka and it’s a good choice for the part!
Ahsoka was one of the most anticipated Star Wars shows when it debuted in 2023. It focused on the long-popular character from The Clone Wars animated series, former Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson), as she handles life in the post-Empire galaxy.
The series was a live-action sequel to the beloved Rebels animated series, with Ahsoka reuniting with old pals Sabine Wren (Natasha Liu Bordizzo) and Hera Syndulla (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). This involved a search for former would-be Jedi Ezra Bridger (Eman Esfandi).
The biggest part of the show was that it finally brought into live-action one of the greatest villains of the Star Wars universe, Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen). He was aided by the Nightsisters alongside Baylan Skoll and his apprentice Shin Hati (Ivanna Sakhno).
Skoll’s backstory was revealed as a Jedi who survived Order 66 and went into hiding. He turned to mercenary work and was seeking a mysterious new purpose in life. Thus, much of Season 1 hinted Skoll wasn't just working for the money.
Playing the role was Ray Stevenson, a veteran actor known and loved for his roles in Rome, Black Sails, Dexter, Vikings, and scores of movies and TV shows. He brought a great gravitas to the part to make it a highlight of the series.
Sadly, Stevenson unexpectedly passed away at the age of 58 after a brief illness in May 2023, just before Ahsoka debuted. That created the question of how the show would handle Bryan in the planned Season 2.
We have the answer, as Jeff Sneider of The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Rory McCann will now play Skoll in Ahsoka Season 2, which is expected to begin production soon.
The Scottish McCann is best known for his role as Sandor “the Hound” Clegane on Game of Thrones. His other credits include Jumanji: The Next Level (2019) and, most recently, Gladiator II (2024).
This works well, as McCann and Stevenson were good friends in real life. Per StarWarsNews.net, Stevenson’s widow gave the blessing for McCann to take on the role. His experience on Thrones shows McCann can easily handle both the action and special effects work needed for a Star Wars series. He could also bring the acting chops needed for Skoll's adventures.
This is good as the series couldn’t just write off Skoll. When last seen, he was on a distant planet looking at massive statues that seemed to tie into the Mortis gods, ancient deities of this galaxy. That indicated Season 2 would have Skoll on his own journey that could tie into larger plans for the franchise.
Ahsoka Season 2 is expected to start filming in May. While many still miss Stevenson, McCann should be a more than capable replacement to pick up the story and ensure Stevenspon’s great work making Skoll a compelling character won’t go to waste.
Ahsoka Season 1 streaming on Disney+.