Tributes Pour In For ‘Star Wars’ Costume Designer Shawna Trpcic, Dead At 56

Tributes are pouring in for late “Star Wars” costume designer Shawna Trpcic, who sadly passed away at age 56.

The three-time Emmy-nominated costume designer had worked on several popular Disney+ shows set in a galaxy far, far away, including “The Mandalorian,” “The Book of Boba Fett,” and “Ahsoka,” which just aired its season finale last week.

On Wednesday, October 4, “Star Wars” costume designer Shawna Trpcic passed away due to unknown causes in Palm Desert. Her daughter, Sarah, broke the news to The Hollywood Reporter on Friday, October 6.

Her agent, Tim Kressman, released a statement saying, “Shawna was one of Hollywood’s pre-eminent science fiction costume designers — a creative force, a trusted collaborator and all-around delightful person for her friends and colleagues,” adding, “She was a beloved member of the Star Wars/Lucasfilm family as well as the community of costume designers and the Costume Designers Guild.”

“Shawna was a dear friend and a dream client to work with,” Kressman added.

Born in Artesia, California on October 18, 1996, Shawna initially wanted to be a truck driver before her art teacher encouraged her to pursue her dreams of becoming an artist. She attended the Otis College of Art and Design for fashion and received her first designer credit in 1990, as per the outlet.

She started working for Lucasfilm in 2019, starting with season two of “The Mandalorian.” She also worked on “The Book of Boba Fett” and “Ahsoka.” She also worked on shows like “Firefly,” “Angel,” “Torchwood,” and “Dollhouse.”

As a result, she worked closely with “Star Wars” showrunners Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau. "Shawna had a deep love and appreciation for Star Wars,” Filoni said in a statement. “You can see that in every piece of work she did with us. She loved everything about being a part of these stories, including connecting with fans and being a part of that community.”

“I feel like she has always been a part of Star Wars. Her costumes tell a story, providing the suggestion of a life experience that happened before the cameras rolled. I loved collaborating with Shawna, and I will miss her presence,” he continued.

"Her creativity brought this world to life,” Favreau added. “She will be deeply missed both as a friend and as a colleague." Shawna was nominated for an Emmy for her work on “The Mandalorian” season 2 and won a Costume Designer’s Guild Award for her work on “The Book of Boba Fett.” She is currently nominated for an Emmy for her work on season 3 of “The Mandalorian.”

Actress Ming-Na Wen, who plays bounty hunter Fennec Shand in both “The Mandalorian” and “The Book of Boba Fett” took to Instagram to share some of her favorite memories with Shawna, such as posing with her and Dave Filoni for a group photo. She also shared a few shots of Shawna perfecting her son Cooper’s outfit when he served as a background character and the time that Shawna found a cookie hidden in the sleeve of her costume.

"Truly shocked and heartbroken to hear the passing of Shawna Trpcic. Our amazing costume designer. Friend. Family," she wrote. "She was always there for her actors. Her designs helped us to tell the stories and establish the characters. She worked tirelessly, passionately, and with such great humor. We had so much fun together."

"One of the funniest moments with Shawna was when I received a text & photo from her. The photo showed a part of my costume with a matter-of-fact statement: 'We just found a cookie in your glove.' I bursted out laughing," she recalled. "You see, I expend a lot of energy when working, and oftentimes, I'm on sets where it's not easy to get to craft service between takes. So I find places to hide snacks. On the set. In props. In my clothes. Somehow, I had forgotten about a large-a-- cookie when changing out of my costume!"

"She said in all her years of working as a costume designer, this was a first. The whole dept had a good laugh about it. As a gag crew gift., I gave her a very large cookie jar to keep in the costume dept. It became a running joke for us," she recalled.

"I also will never forget how attentive she was in designing a special look for my son, Cooper, when he was going to be a background character. And then, on his shoot day, she came to my dressing room to personally make sure Cooper's costume fit perfectly and looked great for the camera," she explained. "With covid protocols, she had enough on her plate to deal with, but she made the time. Without me asking for any special favors. She just did it. A true friend. And a mom to us all."

"Recently, I had just sent her a text congratulating her on the latest project that just aired. Can't believe she's no longer with us. My condolences to her family and her friends. RIP, Shawna," she concluded. "Heaven has a new angel. You will be sorely missed. Love you, Shawna."

She wrapped up her post, writing, "Note: Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, I cannot post the names of the shows or their affiliations, but I know my fans know what Shawna worked on and the mark this multi-award-winning costume designer left behind."

Diana Lee Inosanto, who played Morgan Elsbeth in “The Mandalorian” and “Ahsoka,” took to the comments to write, “Shawna’s costumes were like a giant hug from her…what I mean is she really came from such a dedicated place of love and care. I loved especially how she adored and helped those cosplayers who were inspired by her craft, her talent…her beautiful gift. She leaves her fingerprint through her artistry and design on so many shows, and profoundly the Star Wars universe. I’m going to miss her.”

“Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn also shared his condolences with a single red heart emoji while her son, Joseph Trpcic, commented, “Thank you so much for the kind words. Love hearing from all the people who worked with her.”

Ming-Na Wen replied, “So very sorry for your loss, Joe. Sending love to your sister and family. Your mom was exceptional.”