Star Wars Rebelsfans were overjoyed when it was announced that Lars Mikkelsen would reprise his role as Grand Admiral Thrawn in the upcomingAhsokaseries on Disney Plus. After voicing the character inRebels, the idea of bringing Mikkelsen to play the character in live-action resonated with fans. Nowhere was that more apparent than during the official announcement.
It was already apparent thatAhsokawould involve Rosario Dawson’sAhsoka Tano looking for Thrawn, as she’d already established that motivation during her appearance inThe Mandalorianseason 2. So once that episode aired, fans immediately began speculating about who would play the blue-skinned Chiss Grand Admiral in live-action. Naturally, most fans settled on Mikkelsen, as he’d already been well-liked during his tenure voicing the character onStar WarsRebels. This led to a heartwarming moment when the news finally dropped.
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During an interview withEntertainment Weekly’sDagobah Dispatchpodcast, Mikkelsen spoke about his experience atStar WarsCelebration 2023 when he was officially unveiled as the live-action actor behind Thrawn. It turns out he may have gotten a little misty-eyed at the outpouring of love from the fans. “It was a very emotional moment that I didn’t expect to have,” Mikkelsen revealed. “But I think there’s a lot of love to be taken care of from the audience. And I felt enormous gratitude. It was amazing. Never tried anything like that.” His reaction may have even surprised him. “I had a hard time actually keeping my tears back,” he added. “I was really tearing up. I didn’t expect that.”
Mikkelsen shared the interview with fellowAhsokavillain actors Diana Lee Inosanto (Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth), Ivanna Sakhno (Shin Hati), and the late Ray Stevenson (Baylan Skoll). The latter two are seen in the trailer withorange lightsabers that creator Dave Filoni says are intentional. Each of these actors has a big role to play in the show, but Thrawn is something special, and Mikkelsen seems excited to explore that. “When David finally asked me if I wanted to do it, there were no doubts,” the actor continued. “Of course, I wanted to do that, so I’m very excited. But [as far as] the transition betweenRebelsand the actual live-action character? I hope it works!”
Thrawn was introduced as part of theStar WarsExpanded Universe(now known as Legends), and the character was an instant favorite among fans. But while he saw a few changes when he returned to the canon inRebels, he was still the same strategic genius fans grew to love. That seems to still be the case withAhsoka, suggesting that fans should expect more of the same but with some twists. “In many ways, it’s the same character,” Mikkelsen said of the live-action version. “He’s based on the same material. But we needed to think: Do this right.”
Fans needn’t worry about the quality of the character, asMikkelsen seems confident in the writing forAhsoka. It would have to be to depict a character as cunning as Thrawn. “He’s a top strategist,” the actor added. “He’s always seven paces ahead of anybody else. And ruthless, of course. But only when it’s needed, actually. I think he thrives also with the creativity of the surroundings. I mean, he’s not using people in a bad way. He’s using their creativity to reach his goals.” He clearly understands the importance of his character, and that’s sure to keep fan expectations high for whenAhsokafinally premieres.
