29 stars you didn't know were in the 'Star Wars' franchise

August 2024 · 6 minute read
2021-05-04T16:08:46Z

Carrie Wittmer originally contributed to this story.

Keira Knightley

Keira Knightley as Sabé in "The Phantom Menace." Lucasfilm/David M. Benett; Getty

Years before gaining fame for her major role in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," Knightley appeared in "The Phantom Menace" as Sabé, a handmaiden to Queen Padmé Amidala. For most of the movie, Sabé poses as the Queen of Naboo. 

Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola as Saché in "The Phantom Menace." Lucasfilm/Jun Sato; Getty

The director had a small role as Saché, another handmaiden to Queen Padmé Amidala in "Phantom Menace." The same year, her feature-length directorial debut, "The Virgin Suicides," came out to acclaim.

Rose Byrne

Rose Byrne played Dormé in "Attack of the Clones." Paul Archuleta/Getty

The star of "Like a Boss" and "Peter Rabbit" was in "Attack of the Clones" as Dormé, a handmaiden to Senator Padmé Amidala. 

Bonnie Piesse and Joel Edgerton

The two actors played young versions of Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen in "Attack of the Clones and "Revenge of the Sith." Following the events of those movies they would go on to raise Luke Skywalker.

Botb will reprise the roles in the upcoming "Obi-Wan Kenobi" Disney Plus series. Edgerton once told Insider his idea for returning to the franchise. We'll see if any of that will end up on the show.

Keisha Castle-Hughes

Keisha Castle-Hughes played Queen of Naboo in "Revenge of the Sith." Lucasfilm/Nicholas Hunt; Getty

You may recognize Castle-Hughes as the violent Sand Snake Obara from "Game of Thrones." And most recently, "FBI: Most Wanted." In "Revenge of the Sith," the actress played the Queen of Naboo. She took the throne after Padmé became a senator.

Max Von Sydow

Max Von Sydow played Lor San Tekka in "The Force Awakens." Lucasfilm

Max Von Sydow, aka The Three-Eyed Raven from "Game of Thrones" (and the star of several iconic Ingmar Bergman films), made a brief appearance as Lor San Tekka at the beginning of "Force Awakens." San Tekka gives Poe Dameron the map fragment that would lead the Rebels to Luke Skywalker. He is killed by Kylo Ren. 

Andy Serkis

Andy Serkis played Snoke in "The Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi." Lucasfilm/Neil Mockford; Getty

Serkis rarely shows his actual face and true physical form in his movies, so it's easy to miss him. The creepy CGI villain Supreme Leader Snoke is performed by Serkis in "Force Awakens" and "The Last Jedi."

Dominic West

Dominic West played a palace guard in "Phantom Menace." Lucasfilm/Jon Kopaloff; Getty

Before he was known as Jimmy McNulty on HBO's "The Wire," West had a very small role in "Phantom Menace" as a palace guard. 

Peter Serafinowicz

Peter Serafinowicz voiced Darth Maul in "Phantom Menace." Lucasfilm/Janet Mayer; Getty

Before becoming the star of "The Tick," Serafinowicz provided the voice for Darth Maul in "Phantom Menace," as well as a battle droid commander and a Gungan scout.  

John Ratzenberger

John Ratzenberger played Rebel Force Major Derlin in "Empire Strikes Back." LucasFilm

Before he was annoying everyone at the bar on "Cheers" as Cliff Claven, or became the voice in countless Pixar movies, Ratzenberger appeared in "The Empire Strikes Back" as Rebel Force Major Derlin. 

Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz

(L-R) Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz helped in creating the voice of BB-8. Jon Kopaloff; Getty/Lucasfilm/Vivien Kililea; Getty

Creator and star of "Barry," Bill Hader, and the voice of Sonic in "Sonic the Hedgehog," Ben Schwartz, teamed up as voice consultants for BB-8 in "Force Awakens."

Simon Pegg

Simon Pegg played Unkar Plutt in "Force Awakens." Lucasfilm/Andrew Chin; Getty

Remember Unkar Plutt, the junk boss of Jakku? Rey exchanges found items for food with him. The CGI character was performed by the "Mission: Impossible" star.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Thomas Brodie-Sangster played a First Order officer in "Force Awakens." Lucasfilm/David J. Hogan; Getty

The "Love, Actually" and "Game of Thrones" star had a small cameo in "Force Awakens" as an officer of the First Order. 

Kevin Smith

Kevin Smith played a Stormtrooper and a Kijimi local in the saga. Getty Images

The longtime "Star Wars" fan had a small role as a Stormtrooper in "Force Awakens." Although his character had a few lines, his face was hidden behind the Stormtrooper mask. And he also played a local in Kijimi when Poe is running away from Stormtroopers in "Rise of Skywalker."

Daniel Craig

Yes, that's Daniel Craig in "The Force Awakens." Lucasfilm

James Bond himself also has a cameo as a Stormtrooper in "Force Awakens." Rey uses the Force to make him set her free. 

Greg Grunberg

Greg Grunberg played Temmin "Snap" Wexley in "Force Awakens" and "Rise of Skywalker." LucasFilm/Disney

Grunberg, who is probably best known for "Heroes," has worked with J.J. Abrams quite often including on "Star Trek" and starting with "Felicity." Grunberg had a small role in "Force Awakens" as Temmin "Snap" Wexley, a pilot for the Resistance. He reprised the role in "Rise of Skywalker."

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda played a Resistance fighter celebrating at the end of "The Rise of Skywalker." Lucasfilm

The "Hamilton" songwriter and star teamed up with J.J. Abrams to create the Cantina music heard during the Maz Kanata bar scene in "Force Awakens." Then in "The Rise of Skywalker" he shows up as one of the Resistance fighters celebrating at the end of the movie.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Joseph Gordon-Levitt played Slowen Lo in "The Last Jedi." Lucasfilm/Paul Morigi; Getty

Gordon-Levitt, who has been in many of "The Last Jedi" director Rian Johnson's movies, provided the voice for Slowen Lo, a Canto Bight resident who calls the authorities on Finn and Rose after they land on the beach. 

Justin Theroux

Justin Theroux as the master codebreaker in "The Last Jedi." Lucasfilm

He's the mysterious master codebreaker Finn and Rose are looking for on Canto Bight, and Justin Theroux gives the character a suave personality and dashing looks. Unfortunately, he only makes a very, very brief appearance. 

Gary Fisher (Carrie Fisher's dog)

That's Gary Fisher. INSIDER

Carrie Fisher's Instagram famous dog, Gary, has a brief cameo as an alien dog in "The Last Jedi."

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

Phoebe Waller-Bridge played L3-37 in "Solo: A Star Wars Story." Lucasfilm/Amy Sussman; Getty

The star of Amazon's "Fleabag" and creator of the hit TV show "Killing Eve" provides the voice for L3-37, Lando Calrissian's insecure but talented droid. 

Jodie Comer

Jodie Comer in "The Rise of Skywalker." Lucasfilm

The star of "Killing Eve" shows up as Rey's mother in a flashback in "The Rise of Skywalker."

Jason Sudeikis and Adam Pally

Jason Sudeikis and Adam Pally play the Stormtroopers who stole Baby Yoda in the first season of "The Mandalorian." Jeff Kravitz; Getty/Lucasfilm/Charles Sykes; Getty

Sudeikis and Pally voiced the Stormtroopers who make the mistake of kidnapping Grogu (aka, Baby Yoda) in the finale episode of the first season of "The Mandalorian."

John Leguizamo

John Leguizamo played Gor Koresh in "The Mandalorian." Lucasfilm/David Crotty; Getty

The funnyman brought some flavor to the role of this crook who tries to double cross Mando in the first episode of season 2 of "The Mandalorian." Needless to say, it didn't work out well for him.

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