A number of months earlier than Ahsoka Season 1 premiered, Baylan Skoll actor Ray Stevenson died on the age of 58. Given the place have been left off with the previous Jedi, it was initially unclear if the function would merely be recast for Ahsoka Season 2 or if these plans can be scrapped following Stevenson’s passing. It ended up being the latter, with Rory McCann taking up as Baylan, and his costar Ivanna Sakhno opened up about what it’s been like working with the Recreation of Thrones vet on this upcoming Star Wars TV present.
Sakhno spent loads of time Ray Stevenson on Ahsoka’s first season, as she performs Shin Hati, Baylan’s apprentice. Though Shin and Baylan went their separate methods in direction of the tip of Season 1, we’ll be seeing extra of them collectively in Season 2, and Sakhno sang McCann’s praises to ScreenRant whereas selling her 2025 film launch M3GAN 2.0:
We are literally at present in the midst of filming Season 2 in London. I got here to New York for a couple of days [for M3GAN 2.0 press] and we’re very a lot one-fourth of the way in which [done with Ahsoka Season 2]. It was an amazing loss when Ray handed and one thing that no one took evenly. However I’ve such gratitude for Dave and Lucasfilm and for them placing a lot time and a spotlight into discovering the best individual to proceed Baylan’s story and Rory could not have been a more sensible choice.
I’m additionally relieved that Baylan Skoll’s story will proceed with a special actor filling Ray Stevenson’s footwear. Like Shin, Rosario Dawson’s Ahsoka Tano and Natasha Liu Bordizzo’s Sabine Wren, Baylan is at present stranded on the planet Peridea, however he’s not bothered by that by any means. Somewhat, he believes there’s a supply of energy on the planet that he believes can lastly finish the battle between the sunshine and darkish sides of the Power. He appeared to return one step nearer to reaching that goal when he found the Mortis statues, and it might have been a disgrace for that plot thread to be dropped.
In the meantime, Shin Hati has embarked down a separate life path and allied herself with Peridea’s group of bandits. How her and Baylan’s paths will cross once more stays to be seen, however Ivanna Sakhno is impressed by how Rory McCann has been carrying the mantle left behind by Ray Stevenson on Ahsoka, saying:
He’s so depthful and has such immense respect for Baylan and likewise for what Ray has created, which permits for him to essentially convey his personal into Baylan’s footwear. So watching him doing it has been a present. And, in fact, all of us really feel Ray’s presence as properly and steerage. I really feel immense gratitude and Rory is a dream to be round.
Rory McCann, in fact, performed Sandor “The Hound” Clegane in Recreation of Thrones, a personality who, like Baylan Skoll, was very a lot bathed in shades of gray. Baylan, nevertheless, has extra antagonistic traits than The Hound did, although maybe these can be much less emphasised now that he’s now not affiliated with Grand Admiral Thrawn. In any case, I used to be already trying ahead to seeing McCann’s portrayal of Baylan, and now that curiosity has elevated after studying Ivanna Sakhno recount her constructive expertise with him.
Ahsoka Season 2 started filming in late April, and whereas a particular launch date hasn’t been set but, it’s an excellent wager it should come out someday in 2026. Subsequent yr may also convey The Mandalorian & Grogu, which spins out of fellow Disney+ present The Mandalorian and would be the first theatrical Star Wars film since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker.